Suryakumar smashes third-fastest ODI fifty by an Indian; hits four sixes in a row

Mohali (Punjab) [India], September 24 (ANI): In heavily encouraging signs for Team India ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup at home, Indian middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav is finally hitting some form in ODIs after a long slump. He issued a statement of intent and fearlessness, smashing Cameron Green for four sixes in an over during the second match against Australia. 
In the 44th over of the innings as India was looking to end things on a massive score, Surya upped the ante smashing a helpless Green for four successive sixes. These shots went all over the ground, with the first going towards deep backwards square leg, the second towards fine leg region, the third being a loft over deep extra-cover and the fourth one being a flick over deep mid-wicket. 
" The crowd here in Indore has been treated with Signature SKY brilliance! #TeamIndia | #INDvAUS | @IDFCFIRSTBank
| @surya_14kumar," tweeted BCCI's official X (formerly Twitter handle) taking note of Suryakumar's knock. 

6⃣6⃣6⃣6⃣

The crowd here in Indore has been treated with Signature SKY brilliance! 💥💥#TeamIndia | #INDvAUS | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @surya_14kumar pic.twitter.com/EpjsXzYrZN

— BCCI (@BCCI) September 24, 2023

With Surya's heroics, India ended at 399/5 in 50 overs. Suryakumar smashed 72* in just 37 balls, with six fours and six sixes. 
Suryakumar finally seems to be cracking the ODI code. With a 49-ball half-century that looked well-constructed and devoid of Suryakumar's signature 360-degree hitting and now a full-fledged 360-degree show, Suryakumar seems to be gaining the form and runs everyone wanted him to get. His 122 runs in these two matches of the series have given a good headache to selectors, who have options like KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Surya himself and Ishan Kishan for the middle-order ahead of the World Cup. They all are in the World Cup squad. 
Suryakumar also smashed India's third-fastest 50 in ODIs, with his half-century coming in just 24 balls. The fastest fifty is by Ajit Agarkar in 21 balls against Zimbabwe in 2000, followed by 22-ball half-centuries by Kapil Dev, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh. 
Now Suryakumar's ODI stats stand at: 659 runs in 29 innings at an average of 28.65 and a strike rate of 105.60, with four half-centuries in 27 innings. 
In 13 ODIs this year, Suryakumar has smashed 275 runs at an average of 25.00 with a strike rate of over 113. He has two fifties in 12 innings. 
Put to bat first by Australia, centuries from Shubman Gill (104 in 97 balls with six fours and four sixes) and Shreyas Iyer (105 in 90 balls with 11 fours and three sixes)) and half-centuries from Suryakumar and KL Rahul (52 in 38 balls with three fours and three sixes) helped India set up a 400-run target for India. 
The Men in Blue are currently leading the ongoing three-match series by 1-0 after winning the first ODI by five wickets.  
Australia (Playing XI): David Warner, Matthew Short, Steven Smith(c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey(w), Cameron Green, Sean Abbott, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Spencer Johnson. 
India (Playing XI): Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w/c), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Prasidh Krishna. (ANI)