IND vs NZ: Suryakumar Yadav becomes only 4th Indian after Ro-Ko, Hardik to bag this big T20I feat

The first T20I against New Zealand in Nagpur on January 21, marks a historic personal milestone for India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav. This fixture is his 100th T20I appearance for the national team, a journey that began less than five years ago. Since making his debut in March 2021 against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Suryakumar has rapidly ascended the ranks to become the cornerstone of India’s aggressive batting template.

Suryakumar Yadav completes 100 T20Is

By stepping onto the field at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium today, Suryakumar becomes only the fourth male cricketer to play 100 T20Is for India. He joins an elite circle of legends that includes Rohit Sharma, who leads the pack with 159 appearances, and Virat Kohli, who finished his T20I career with 125 caps.

Notably, Hardik Pandya is also playing his 125th T20I in today’s match, officially equalling Kohli’s tally for the second-most appearances by an Indian. For Suryakumar, this "century of caps" offers a chance to rediscover his clinical form as he leads the side into their final preparations before the 2026 T20 World Cup begins next month.

The world record for the most T20I appearances is held by Rohit Sharma, who represented India in 159 matches between September 2007 and June 2024. A fixture of the format since its inception, Rohit participated in all nine T20 World Cups held during his career. His tenure culminated in a historic triumph at the 2024 T20 World Cup, where he led India to the title with an unprecedented 100% winning record throughout the tournament.

Indian cricketers to play most T20Is:

However, Suryakumar faces a different narrative as he enters 2026. Despite India’s status as the world’s top-ranked T20I side, Surya has miserably failed to deliver with the bat in 2025. Across 21 matches and 19 innings, he managed only 218 runs and failed to record a single half-century. 

He briefly looked in his elements in the first T20I against New Zealand, where he scored a 22-ball 32

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However, Surya’s leadership remained a silver lining during his personal batting drought. Under his captaincy last year, India secured T20I series victories against powerhouse teams like England, Australia, and South Africa. Most notably, he guided the squad to an Asia Cup 2025 title, maintaining a perfect winning streak.