Sep 02, 2024 07:40 PM IST
Suryakumar Yadav will not be available for the first round of the Duleep Trophy due to an injury.
India’s T20 captain, Suryakumar Yadav, is set to miss the opening round of the Duleep Trophy, which begins on September 5, due to a hand injury sustained during his recent appearance in the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament. The injury, which occurred while playing for Mumbai against TNCA XI in Coimbatore, forced Suryakumar to sit out the final day’s play.
Suryakumar, who was initially slated to represent India C in their first-round match against India D at Ananthapur from September 5-8, will now be absent from the lineup, PTI reported, attributing BCCI sources. The batter has since reported to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for further assessment and rehabilitation.
This setback comes at a crucial time as the Duleep Trophy serves as a platform for players vying for selection in the upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh, scheduled to begin on September 19 in Chennai.
Simultaneously, the Duleep Trophy’s other first-round encounter will see India A facing off against India B at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The tournament is expected to be a significant opportunity for players to impress the selectors and stake their claim for a spot in the national squad ahead of the Bangladesh series.
Suryakumar Yadav in Tests
Although Suryakumar will miss a crucial chance to make a mark in the Duleep Trophy, the batter has been out of contention for a spot in the Test squad since last year. He made only one appearance in the longest format during the Test series against Australia, where he took the field in the opening game of the Border-Gavaskar series. He scored only 8 runs in the one innings he played in the Test, and has been away from the side.
In July earlier this year, Suryakumar was appointed as India’s T20I captain, succeeding Rohit Sharma, who retired from the format following the T20 World Cup victory. Under Suryakumar’s leadership, India made a strong start to the new era, defeating Sri Lanka 3-0 in its own backyard in the T20I series.
