Suryakumar Yadav faced an injury setback during the 3rd T20I against South Africa, twisting his ankle while fielding. The dynamic batter had to be carried off the field, impacting India's fielding lineup. However, his deputy, Ravindra Jadeja, led the team to a dominant victory, sharing seven wickets with Kuldeep Yadav, who secured a five-wicket haul.
Despite the injury, Suryakumar was named Player of the Match for his record-equalling fourth century, guiding India to 201/7. His captain's knock, along with stellar performances throughout the series, resulted in a 1-1 series tie. Suryakumar, joining the elite list with Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell, finished the year as the No.1 T20I batter with 733 runs in 18 matches.
In a post-match presentation, Suryakumar assured fans about his well-being, expressing joy in contributing to a winning cause. Reflecting on Kuldeep's performance, he praised the spinner's hunger for success, calling it a nice self-gift on his birthday. The skipper emphasized the importance of playing fearless cricket and maintaining balance in the game.