Suryakumar Yadav becomes first Indian to start international career with first-ball 6

Suryakumar Yadav on Thursday became the first Indian and third overall cricketer to smash the first ball in T20 international for a six. Suryakumar hooked pacer Jofra Archer for a six after coming on to bat at number three in the fourth T20I between India and England at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. 

Suryakumar was sent to bat at number three after India lost opener Rohit Sharma early in the innings. While Rohit started the match with a first-ball six off Adil Rashid, the Hitman was dismissed by Archer. The England pacer tried to rattle Suryakumar, who was playing his first delivery in international cricket, with a bouncer but the Mumbai batsman connected well to dispatch the ball for a six.

In T20Is, only Pakistan's Sohail Tanvir and South Africa's Mangaliso Mosehle had started their career with a first-ball six. While Tanvir smashed it against India in Johannesburg in the year 2007, Mosehle achieved the feat against Sri Lanka in Centurion in 2017.

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Hitting the first ball in a T20I for a six (full member teams):

Sohail Tanvir vs India - Johannesburg 2007 

Mangaliso Mosehle vs Sri Lanka - Centurion 2017 

Surya Kumar Yadav vs England - Ahmedabad 2021 * 

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Suryakumar made his international debut in the second T20I against England in Ahmedabad but didn't get to bat as India won the match comfortably. However, he was promoted to bat at number three and grabbed the chance with both hands. Suryakumar has been one of the most consistent performers in IPL and domestic cricket for a few years now and entered the international circuit with a cracking half-century.

Meanwhile, India would be looking to level the series in the fourth T20I with England leading the rubber 2-1.