India skipper Suryakumar Yadav hailed Ruturaj Gaikwad as a special player after the latter slammed a whirlwind century in the third T20I against Australia in Guwahati on Tuesday (November 28).

Opening the innings, Gaikwad smashed 123 not out off 57 balls, propelling the hosts to a mammoth 222/3 in 20 overs. His maiden T20I ton was studded with 13 boundaries and seven sixes.

However, Gaikwad’s herculean effort went in vain as Glenn Maxwell hit an equally brilliant hundred (104* off 48 balls) to take the visitors over the finishing line on the final delivery with five wickets remaining.

Speaking after the game, Suryakumar said his plan was to get Maxwell out, adding that Australia were always in the game with wickets in hand.

“Just to get Maxi (Maxwell) out quickly. I think that was the plan, but yeah, I mean, when you're defending 200-210 with so much dew I think you got to give something to the bowlers. They lost wickets early on, so they couldn't reach the end, but with the wickets in hand for them and then for 220, I think they were always in the game,” Surya said at the post-match presentation.

Lauding Gaikwad’s brilliance with the bat, the Indian captain added: “Fantastic. I mean, the way Ruturaj batted after I got out, he took the inning deep. I've always said during franchise cricket as well, that he is a special player. And the way he batted, he showed it, but yeah, at the end. Very proud of my boys.”

Having lost the first two T20Is, Australia were facing a must-win situation. The tourists kept the five-match series alive with this victory in Guwahati.

Raipur will host the penultimate T20I between India and Australia on Friday (December 1).