Leg and off: Is Suryakumar Yadav the greatest-ever MI batter?

As the Mumbai Indians (MI) seemed destined to be headed toward another mind-boggling defeat against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in front of a packed Wankhede Stadium, star batter Suryakumar Yadav emphatically stated 'Not Just Yet'.

The 33-year-old took matters into his hands with MI reeling at 31/3 in the fifth over in their run-chase of 174. Suryakumar smashed his second IPL century off 51 balls to single-handedly will the side to a seven-wicket victory in the 18th over.

While MI are almost certainly out of playoff contention, the victory kept their far-fetched mathematical hopes alive.

Ranked the No.1 T20I batter in the world, Suryakumar has also turned his IPL career around since joining MI in 2018. The swashbuckling batter was a nobody in his first stint with the franchise in 2012 and 2013.

He moved to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2014 but was a lower-order batter in his four seasons with the franchise. However, Suryakumar has been MI's go-to batter in his second gig with the franchise over the last six-plus seasons.

His latest heroics had fans wondering about MI's all-time greatest batter in the IPL and whether Suryakumar would be atop that list.

On that note, let us deep dive into the crucial counting parameters to decipher if Suryakumar Yadav is MI's all-time greatest batter.

#1 How does Suryakumar Yadav stack up against other MI greats in numbers?

Overall runs, average, strike rate, centuries, and half-centuries are usually the major tangible parameters when deciding a batter's place in an all-time list.

Where Suryakumar Yadav stands in each of these categories vs other MI batters will go a long way in deciding his place in the franchises' folklore.

The 33-year-old is MI's third all-time leading run-scorer with 3,022 runs in 96 games. The only two above him are Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard, with 5,644 and 3,915 runs, respectively. However, the duo have played considerably more games at 219 and 211 and Suryakumar outduels Rohit and Pollard though in overall batting average - 35.97 to 29.54 and 28.78, respectively.

Suryakumar also has the highest strike rate by an MI batter with at least 1000 runs at 148.79. Tilak Varma is the only other MI batter with an average of over 35 and a strike rate of over 145, but he has only 1,124 runs.

His 23 half-centuries are also second among MI batters, behind only Rohit. Yet, Suryakumar's 50s per innings ratio of one every four stints is considerably better than Rohit's one per six innings. Add to that Suryakuma's two centuries, tied for the most by an MI batter with Rohit.

Hence, the volume of runs (third all-time for MI) with an unmatched consistency (average) and high impact (first in strike rate, 50's/innings ratio, and 100s) makes Surya inarguably the best MI batter in terms of numbers.

#2 Suryakumar Yadav's impact on winning

From the plain numbers, it is crystal clear that Suryakumar Yadav is almost definitely MI's best batter ever, with Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard being the only real competitors.

Yet, numbers without much impact on the team's performances have only so much relevance in cricket. And, Suryakumar wins big on this front, with his numbers being chalk and cheese in MI's wins and losses.

The 33-year-old averages over 50 at a strike rate of 158 in MI wins over his IPL career. However, the numbers drop to an average of 27 and a strike rate of 136.10 in losses.

While most star players almost often boast much better numbers in wins than losses, the difference isn't as drastic for Suryakumar's closest competitor Rohit Sharma. The former MI skipper averages 21.60 at a strike rate of just over 120 in their losses but his average during wins is 38.60 at a strike rate of 138, which while impressive in isolation is much below Surya's exploits.

MI also won their first and only back-to-titles in 2019 and 2020 when Suryakumar was the best batter, with well over 400 runs in both seasons.

Meanwhile, Rohit averaged under 30 in both seasons and scored only 332 runs in their most impressive title run in 2020, compared to Surya's 480 runs that season. To his credit, Pollard was perhaps MI's most impactful batter across those two seasons, yet, Surya's overall numbers for the franchise pips the big West Indian.

#3 The eye test

Sometimes, T20 cricket is as much about the eye test as the numbers - the range of shots a batter possesses, the ability to bat in any situation and not having blatant weaknesses against any bowling style.

In that sense, Suryakumar Yadav ticks all the boxes like very few batters have around the globe in the shortest format. Renowned as the successor to the legendary AB de Villiers for his play shots all around the ground and score at a rate of knots, the MI star is arguably the most feared batter at any stage of a T20 innings.

Be it pace or spin, Suryakumar can find gaps and hit the maximums at will, especially once set. The 25 scores above 50 in 94 innings for MI at an excellent strike rate is further evidence of his ability to consistently stay at the crease for an extended period and score at a rapid pace.

Just the look of fear among bowlers and opposition captains, constantly changing fields indicates the Suryakumar Yadav effect that no other MI batter has caused to this extent.

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In conclusion, Suryakumar Yadav has undoubtedly earned the tag as the franchise's all-time best batter over the years. While his closest competitors, Rohit Sharma, and Kieron Pollard, may have some say, Surya's overall package as a combination of numbers, impact, and eye test comfortably pips the duo.