India’s veteran wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik showered praise on Suryakumar Yadav after he scored an unbelievable knock of 111 runs off just 51 balls against New Zealand in the second T20I at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui on Sunday.

Yadav continued his World Cup form as he batted at the top of his game and played all across the ground. SKY reached his fifty off just 32 balls and then changed gears to score the next fifty off just 17 balls.

The 32-year-old from Mumbai scored 11 fours and seven sixes in his blistering knock as he took the Kiwis bowlers to the cleaners. Yadav has been consistently delivering the goods for the team in the last 14 months.

The right-hander scored his runs at a strike rate of 217.65 and batted out of this world to help India post a challenging score of 191 runs on the board.

Dinesh Karthik said while talking to Cricbuzz, “He is making it look much easier than what he is actually doing. What he is doing is really special. To have the ability to hit on both sides of the wicket and use the pace consistently is not an easy task. It comes very naturally to him.

“Still, having the mental aptitude to go through those initial balls and then get going and absolutely have a blast at the end… You can see why he is so special,” DK added.

Dinesh Karthik, who shared the dressing room with Suryakumar Yadav in the recently concluded T20 World Cup, feels the right-hander is at the top among his peers. SKY is currently at the top position in the ICC T20I rankings.

“(His strike rate) pretty much sums up where Surya is on the ladder, so to say. I think among his peers in world cricket right now, he is right at the top. He is batting at the peak of his prowess and it’s a joy to watch him bat – just toying around with bowlers, toying around with the (opposition) captain.”

SKY has been in the form of his life and he would want to continue in a similar fashion.

The third T20I between India and New Zealand will take at McLean Park, Napier on Tuesday.