Indian team got a No. 3 batsman in the form of Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Verma’s rise in T20I cricket: The aggressive batsman scored two consecutive centuries in the T20I series against South Africa.
India won the four-match T20I series against South Africa by a margin of 3-1, with Tilak Verma etching his name in the record books with his second consecutive T20I century.
Scoring 120 runs off just 47 balls, Tilak became the fifth batsman to score consecutive centuries in T20I cricket and won the Player of the Series award.
Tilak Varma’s Record-Breaking Feat Against South Africa
Back-to-Back Centuries and Player of the Series Honor: Tilak Varma became the fifth cricketer in T20I history to achieve consecutive centuries, with his second ton coming in the final match of the four-game series against South Africa.
Blasting 120 runs off just 47 deliveries, Tilak showcased his ability to dominate bowlers with ease. His consistency and power-hitting earned him the prestigious Player of the Series award, reinforcing his readiness for the big stage.
A Historic Partnership with Sanju Samson
In the final match, Tilak joined forces with Sanju Samson for an unbeaten 210-run stand, setting a record for India in T20 cricket. Samson, who himself has been in tremendous form, added another feather to his cap by becoming the first Indian batter to score two consecutive T20I hundreds earlier in the series.
India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav believes the 22-year-old is a perfect fit for the No. 3 position, besides comparing him to former skipper Virat Kohli, who retired from the shortest format earlier this year.
“It was actually running in my mind that there has been a time when one man has batted consistently at No.3 and done wonders for India,” Suryakumar said after the fourth T20I in Johannesburg.
“So this was a perfect situation, perfect opportunity for a young guy and definitely someone like him, showing a lot of promise, and we both actually spoke to each other and said, ‘I think it’s the perfect time for someone like you to bat at number three, take that responsibility, not only now, but going forward as well’.
“And he just walked the talk. I mean, the way he batted at Supersport Park and also here today, it was incredible and I hope he continues to do the same things, same way, not only in T20 cricket, but for all formats for India.”
Tilak Varma has so far played 20 Twenty20 International matches for his team India, in which he has scored 616 runs at a strike rate of 161, which includes two centuries and as many half-centuries.
In addition to scoring a century in the last Twenty20 International match against the Proteas, Tilak and Sanju Samson formed an undefeated partnership of 210 runs, setting a new record for India in the format.
It just so happens that Samson is the first Indian hitter to reach two hundred runs in as many Twenty20 Internationals for his country.
Samson scored his first T20I century for India against Bangladesh in October. He then scored his second against South Africa in the opening T20I, then his third to end the series.
With Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal also in the mix, Suryakumar thinks Samson’s recent batting exploits provide India a nu mber of batting options to rely on in the top order.
“I’m sure when they (Jaiswal and Gill) come, we’ll sit and talk about it, it will be difficult but it’s a good headache to have going forward if you have 20-25 people and you have to make a team of 10-15, so it’s quite a challenge and it’s a good thing for every team, it feels good to see this,” he said
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Source: ICC
