Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has tipped Suryakumar Yadav as the greatest in the T20 format. SKY scored a scintillating knock of 100 runs off just 56 balls against South Africa in the third T20I at the New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg on Thursday.

SKY got off to a circumspect start as he scored 21 runs from the first 20 balls. However, he was able to change gears in the 13th over, smashing Andile Phehlukwayo for 22 runs off five balls.

SKY completed his fifty off 32 balls and continued his assault against the South African bowlers. The right-hander scored seven fours and eight maximums in his blistering knock.

SKY scored 156 runs in two matches against the Proteas at an average of 78 and thus he was awarded Player of the Series for his consistent performances.

“If Surya keeps on playing like this, then it is only a matter of one or two years, that you have to declare that he is the greatest in the T20 format,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

Chopra lauded SKY for his fine performance and said it is unfair to say that he didn’t score in the World Cup final against Australia as the team failed collectively.

“Team India rarely loses do-or-die matches. I was reading that as soon as you start praising someone, it reminds them of November 19. Even in the third T20I, it was kind of the same after Surya’s performance. So, for that I have to say, clinging onto the past at the expense of losing the present is not worth it. The formats were different, and it was not Surya alone that was out in the final. When he is scoring runs now, I think it is unfair to ask why did he not score in the final,” Chopra added.

This was SKY’s fourth T20I century and he equaled Glenn Maxwell’s tally for most hundreds in the format. SKY also became the first T20I batter to score four T20I centuries in four different countries – India, South Africa, England, and New Zealand. Ergo, Chopra hailed SKY’s performances in different conditions.

“All of Surya’s T20I hundreds have come in different countries. So, you cannot even say that he is a flat-track bully or a stat padder. India won the third T20I because of him. Jaiswal also played really well at the top. He is really making a statement to be part of the team across formats,” Chopra said

“In my opinion, at this point in time, he is the best T20 batter. There is no one better than him at present. If he continues playing like this for the next two years, including the 2024 T20 World Cup, he can retire as the greatest T20 batter when he chooses to leave the game,” Chopra concluded

The first ODI between India and South Africa will be played at the New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg on Sunday.