Xtra Time Web Desk: Suryakumar Yadav’s return to Mumbai Indians (MI) for the next Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match against Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday 7th April, is highly anticipated. After being sidelined for over three months, the middle-order batsman has been declared fit by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. Both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and NCA physios ensured thorough assessment before giving the green signal for Yadav’s return.
Suryas absence has been felt by MI, who have suffered defeats in all three of their matches so far in the league. While the player is showing promising progress, there’s a possibility he might have to sit out for a few more games, having already missed the first two.
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“For BCCI, the main concern is if he is on course for World T20 which he is. Obviously he will play for MI but after a sports hernia surgery, he can’t be rushed,” the source said.
However, the BCCI is cautious about Yadav’s fitness, given his potential pivotal role in the upcoming T20 World Cup scheduled in the USA and the West Indies in June. As a result, they are keen on ensuring he fully recovers and regains match fitness before any major international tournaments.
Suryakumar had earlier suffered an ankle injury during the South Africa tour in December 2023. The injury has sidelined him from international cricket in early 2024, and Surya recently revealed that it was in fact his sports hernia affliction that was still keeping him out of action. Suryakumar underwent surgery for the latter in Munich, Germany on January 17.
The 33-year-old often draws comparisons with retired South African superstar A B de Villiers for his range of shots. He has a superb strike rate of 171.55 in the format. Yadav has appeared in 60 T20 Internationals for India and has 2141 runs, including four hundreds. MI will take on DC in their fourth game, the first at home in Mumbai, on Monday.