India captain Suryakumar Yadav heaped praise on his batters after the tourists thumped South Africa by 135 runs to claim the four-match T20I series 3-1 in Johannesburg. 

Batting first, Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma both hit unbeaten centuries as India posted a total of 283-1 before bundling out the Proteas for 148. 

India's ultra-aggressive approach under head coach Gautam Gambhir has taken T20I cricket by storm, with the team scoring their third 250-plus score in the format on Friday - the most by any team. 

"Our plan was very clear. The last time we came here, we played the same brand of cricket as well and we wanted to continue that," said Suryakumar after the commanding victory. 

"We wanted to follow those good habits. We didn't think about the results and it happened automatically." 

Their 283-1 was also the fifth-highest total in men's T20I history and India's second-highest total after the 297-6 that they scored at home against Bangladesh only last month.

With his unbeaten 109 from 56 balls, Samson became the first batter to register three hundreds in a calendar year in T20Is, while Tilak's 120 from 47 balls was his second hundred in as many matches. 

3 – With today’s century against South Africa, @IamSanjuSamson became the first cricketer to hit three T20I hundreds in a single calendar year. Prolific.
#SAvIND #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/6JSYIVa1VD

— OptaJeev (@OptaJeev) November 15, 2024

"It is very difficult for me to choose between the two. It was amazing batting skills displayed by them. We spoke about it and they walked the talk," Suryakumar said. 

The 210-run second-wicket partnership between Samson and Tilak at the Wanderers was also India's first-ever double-century stand in the format.

"I was calm and was just trying to follow the basics. It is an unbelievable feeling. I never imagined I would score two hundreds - in South Africa too," Tilak said. 

Meanwhile, it will be back to the drawing board for South Africa, whose captain Aiden Markram said: "We were completely outplayed in all three aspects.

255.3 – @TilakV9 scored 120* (47) against South Africa today, striking at 255.3, the second highest such rate in an innings by an Indian centurion in T20Is. Blitzkrieg.
#SAvIND #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/iAZrCVGAOO

— OptaJeev (@OptaJeev) November 15, 2024

"We wanted to level the series but could not put a game together. With bat and ball, they put us under pressure. Some good honest reflections need to take place now."

Both nations will now turn their attentions to Test cricket as South Africa host Sri Lanka for two matches while India head to Australia for a five-match series starting on 22 November.