Suryakumar Yadav, a T20 star, is expected to join the Mumbai Indians (MI) on Friday, April 5, following his clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. Yadav’s arrival would be a huge boost for the struggling MI.
December 2023 saw Suryakumar’s final competitive encounter against South Africa, ranking first among T20I batters. In the third Twenty20 International in Johannesburg on December 14, he hit a brilliant century; however, throughout the series, he sustained a grade 2 rupture to his ankle.
The right-handed batter had surgery in Munich on January 17 to treat a sports hernia, a problem that got worse over time and needed to be treated.
The 33-year-old will train with the five-time winners at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, April 7, in anticipation of their forthcoming home match against the Delhi Capitals. This comes after a strenuous recovery process at the NCA. It is anticipated that Suryakumar’s physical state will be observed throughout the training sessions, and a decision regarding his participation in Sunday’s afternoon game will be taken later.
Can MI’s messiah be Suryakumar Yadav?
The Mumbai Indians’ performance in the IPL 2024 under Hardik Pandya, their new captain, has been appalling so far. After losing their first three games, they are currently lingering at the bottom of the table. There has been a lack of quality in both the bowling and batting.
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The return of a talisman like Suryakumar might significantly boost the squad’s morale, even if cricket is a team sport. Having participated in 139 IPL games, the dynamic batsman has amassed 3,249 runs at a strike rate of 143.32 and an average of 31.85. After playing 60 matches, his T20I statistics are even better, with an average of 45.55 and a strike rate of 171.55. Mumbai, who are noted for improving as the season goes on, might become a formidable force if Suryakumar can step up to the plate.