Suryakumar Yadav is one of the most prolific batters in IPL history. He never became a superstar initially, and took his own time to become the middle-order mainstay he has become today. It was a slow but gradual rise.
That’s why, from 2018 onwards, he became one of the most consistent run scorers for the Mumbai Indians and became a part of top list in online IPL betting.
In this article, we will see his top five highest scores in IPL history, featuring the majority of the innings from 2018 to 2023 timeline.
Top Five Highest Scores by Suryakumar Yadav in IPL History
We have picked five of his stupendous IPL knocks. His maiden century, which came against the Gujarat Titans, will have to be at the top. The second one is his knock of 82 runs, which he had played in the 2021 edition against Hyderabad. The third-best knock is his unbeaten 79, which he played against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2020 edition. The fourth knock is his 72-run knock, which came in 2018, with the fifth and final knock being his unbeaten 71 runs, which he played in 2019.
103* vs. Gujarat Titans (IPL 2023):
In his only IPL century, Suryakumar Yadav smashed an unbeaten 103 runs in just 49 balls.
- This hammering knock was played at the Wankhede Stadium in the 2023 edition, and that too against the defending champions, the Gujarat Titans.
- Mumbai had batted first and, riding on this innings, had posted a humongous 218/5 on the board.
- His century came off the last ball which he completed with an astounding six.
- Pandya-led side too gave this total a great chase, but eventually lost the match by 27 runs.
- This is his only IPL century, with 103* being his highest-ever score in the IPL.
82 vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL 2021):
His second-best knock came against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2021 edition.
- On the pitches of the UAE, Yadav brought his ‘A’ game, scoring 82 runs off just 40 balls. Not to mention the venue was Abu Dhabi where he had played one of his most memorable IPL knocks a year earlier.
- Mumbai had batted first, and were 124/3 at the end of the ninth over and needed a strong finish.
- Meanwhile, Yadav got into the business right from ball one.
- By the time he was out, he had already batted SRH out of the match, who couldn’t chase the total of 235/9, losing the match by 42 runs.
79* vs. Royal Challengers Bangalore (IPL 2020):
A year earlier on the very same ground, he played a top knock against RCB.
- However, the situation was tense as Mumbai were 37/1 chasing a stiff target of 165.
- From here on, Yadav played a blinder of an innings against all odds.
- He was restraintful but kept finding the release shots against the spinners.
- And although wickets kept tumbling around him, Yadav hung on and saw his team home.
- This had to be one of his best knocks and helped him secure a place in the Indian team for the Australia tour later that year.
72 vs. Rajasthan Royals (IPL 2018):
His fourth best knock came against Rajasthan in their own backyard in the 2018 edition.
- Opening the batting, Yadav showed gumption, taking on the pacers and spinners head-on.
- He pulled and drove his way to the fifty, which came in 29 balls.
- But then came the final push, and by the time he was out for 72 runs off just 47 balls, he had helped Mumbai post a respectable total of 167/7.
- Nonetheless, the innings went in vain as Rajasthan chased down the total with three wickets to spare.
71* vs. Chennai Super Kings (IPL 2019):
His fifth-best IPL knock came against the Chennai Super Kings in a low-scoring thriller, and that too in the IPL Playoffs.
- It was difficult to bat, but here Yadav showed that he is capable of pulling down the anchor and playing according to the situation.
- He walked in with the score reading 4/1 with the target being 132.
- With the ball keeping low, Yadav took his own time but kept on finding the shots, which released the pressure.
- It was a restrained innings as he completed his 50 in 37 balls.
- Eventually, he stayed unbeaten at 71 off 54 balls, taking his team right into the IPL final.
Final Thoughts:
The above-mentioned innings from Surya Kumar Yadav were played in diverse ways and impacted the games very differently.
For instance, his knocks against GT and SRH were aggressive in nature. The team had great starts, and now Yadav came out to step up the ante. By the time he was done, Mumbai had already out batted the teams.
On the other hand, the knocks he played against RCB or CSK were played in a defensive mode. Mumbai had lost wickets and kept on losing more wickets in the course of the match. Here, Yadav couldn’t afford to throw his wickets and had to restrain himself.
By successfully pulling off these knocks, he showed that he can be the most bankable player in the Mumbai Indians middle order. This is the reason he became a core team member and has been retained ever since he moved into the side in 2018.