He started playing cricket under the guidance of his paternal uncle, Vinod Kumar Yadav, in Varanasi.
At the age of 10, he was enrolled in a cricket camp at BARC colony in Mumbai, coached by Ashok Kamat. He then went to “Elf Vengsarkar Academy,” run by former international cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar, and played age-group cricket in Mumbai.
Surya represented Mumbai in domestic cricket. He captained the team for a brief period during the “2014–15 Ranji Trophy” season and was again appointed as captain for the 2019–20 season.
He also captained the team in the “2020–21 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy” T20 tournament.
In October 2019, he was named in the India C squad for the “2019–20 Deodhar Trophy.”
He continued to play club cricket for “Parsi Gymkhana” club and scored 249 runs in the final against Payyade Sports Club in the Police Shield tournament in 2021, winning the “Best Batsman of the Final” award and helping Parsi Gymkhana win the tournament for the first time since 1956.
He made his “T20I” debut for India on March 14, 2021, in the second match of the series at Ahmedabad but did not bat.
On March 18, he played his first innings in the 4th game of the series and hit the first ball he faced in international cricket for a six, becoming the first Indian to do so in “T20Is.”
He went on to score a half-century in the match and was praised by then-Indian captain Virat Kohli for his performance.
He was named in India’s “ODI” squad for their series against England.
In October 2022, he became the fastest to score 1000 runs in T20Is in terms of balls faced, reaching the mark in 573 balls in the series against South Africa.
On October 30, 2022, Suryakumar was ranked first in the “ICC men’s player rankings” for “T20I” batsmen.
In November, he was named in the Indian test squad for their home series against New Zealand but did not get a game. He played three T20Is against New Zealand, scoring 63 runs across three innings, including a half-century and a duck.
He scored his second T20I century against New Zealand at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, scoring 111* off 51 balls, including 11 fours and 7 sixes. He became the second Indian to score two centuries in “T20I” in a calendar year after Rohit Sharma.
He won the “ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year” award for his performance in 2022.
In August 2023, Suryakumar was appointed as the vice-captain of the Indian team for the “T20I” away series against the West Indies. He scored 166 runs across four innings, including 83 runs off 44 balls in the third match.
He was named in the Indian squad for the “2023 Cricket World Cup.” He scored just 106 runs across seven innings in the World Cup, where India finished as runners-up.
After the World Cup, Suryakumar was named as the captain of the Indian team for the T20I series against Australia. He scored 144 runs in five innings and led the team to a 4-1 series victory.
He was named captain for the subsequent tour of South Africa. In the series, he scored the fourth T20I century of his career, equaling Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell (Australia | Batting Allrounder) for the record for most centuries in T20Is.
Surya collaborated with Sofit Soya Milk, Neeman’s, Uncle Tony India, Dream11, Maxima watches, Urban Gabru, Boult Audio, JioCinema, The Indian Garage Co. (TIGC), UniScholars, Zuventus Healthcare, Reebok India, and ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, spanning various industries from health and wellness to fashion and entertainment, showcasing their versatility and market appeal.
India won the “ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.”
Yadav slammed the fourth fastest half-century in the T20 World Cup during a Super Eight match against Afghanistan in Barbados. He reached his fifty in just 27 balls off the bowling of Fazalhaq Farooqi in the 17th over of India’s innings.
His stunning catch in the “T20 World Cup 2024” was hailed as one of the greatest ever, a moment that many believed clinched the trophy for India. His exceptional presence of mind, agility, and game awareness left a lasting impression on cricket fans worldwide.