• Home
  • Player Stories
  • Watch Six On His 1St Ball In T20is Throwback To Sky Turning Jofra Archer Into A Rookie

[Watch] Six On His 1st Ball In T20Is! Throwback To SKY Turning Jofra Archer Into A Rookie

Jatin

Suryakmar Yadav hit Jofra Archer for a six on the very first ball of his career [Source: @StarSportsIndia/x.com]Suryakmar Yadav hit Jofra Archer for a six on the very first ball of his career [Source: @StarSportsIndia/x.com]

Not every cricketer gets a dream start to their international career, but Suryakumar Yadav made sure his entry was nothing short of a blockbuster. On March 18, 2021, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, SKY announced himself on the big stage in the most audacious way possible—by smashing a six off his very first ball in T20I cricket.

Suryakumar Yadav Announced His Arrival With A Stunning Six Off Archer

And it wasn’t just any bowler he chose to take on. It was none other than England pacer, Jofra Archer. Suryakumar had been waiting in the wings for years, grinding it out in domestic cricket and the IPL, and when his chance finally came in the 2nd T20I against England, fate had other plans—he didn’t even get to bat.

Adding to the frustration, he was left out of the playing XI for the third match. But great players always find a way, and Surya did just that when he got another shot in the fourth T20I.

First Ball, First Six, First Statement

Walking in at No. 3, Suryakumar Yadav was immediately put to the test. Archer hurled a sharp short ball designed to unsettle most batters. But Surya isn’t just any batter. He nonchalantly got under it, lifted his front leg like a dancer, and deposited the ball over fine leg for a maximum. The crowd roared, and Indian cricket had found its new star.


This wasn’t just a fluke, it was a statement of intent. By smashing that six, Surya became the first Indian batter to hit a six off the first ball of his T20I career. Globally, only seven others had achieved this feat against full-member teams which made SKY’s achievement even more special.

That six was just the beginning. SKY went on to hammer a whirlwind 57 off 31 balls, laced with six boundaries and three towering sixes. His innings was important in helping India post a colossal185/8. 

England fought back hard, but thanks to Shardul Thakur’s three-wicket haul and vital contributions from Hardik Pandya and Rahul Chahar, India edged out England, restricting them to 177/8 and levelling the series 2-2 before going on to clinch it 3-2.

From That Six to Leading India

Meanwhile, coming to the present, the man who smashed that unforgettable six is now India’s T20I captain. As Surya leads India into a thrilling five-match T20I series against England, starting at Eden Gardens on January 22, fans can’t help but look back at how it all began.