Five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) are set to take the field understrength for their IPL 2022 opener on Sunday (March 27) against the Delhi Capitals (DC). MI could miss middle-order stalwart Suryakumar Yadav for their tournament opener amidst news that he is yet to join the squad. Suryakumar stays put at the National Cricket Academy […]
Five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) are set to take the field understrength for their IPL 2022 opener on Sunday (March 27) against the Delhi Capitals (DC). MI could miss middle-order stalwart Suryakumar Yadav for their tournament opener amidst news that he is yet to join the squad.
Suryakumar stays put at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) where he continues his rehab for a thumb injury. Not in the mood to take any risk with the injury of an Indian player critical to the white-ball set-up, the NCA authorities have decided to not release him till the thumb issue is completely resolved.
ESPNcricinfo reported, Suryakumar hasn’t yet joined the Mumbai Indians camp as he undergoes the final stages of his rehabilitation process at the NCA.
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Mumbai Indians are set to miss Suryakumar Yadav for their IPL 2022 opener.
The 31-year-old Suryakumar picked up the injury while playing the third and final T20I of the series against the West Indies in Kolkata on February 20. The player subsequently missed the T20I series versus Sri Lanka and has been under the supervision of NCA medical staff and authorities.
ESPNcricinfo’s report said the injury to Suryakumar is a “hairline fracture” on his thumb and is taking extra time to die down completely, before he is given the NCA go-ahead to join the Mumbai Indians camp.
Missing Suryakumar for the first game and potentially more matches would be a huge loss for MI, as the right-hander has been one of their better batting performers over the last few seasons.
Since the start of IPL 2020, the 31-year-old stands as Mumbai Indians’ second highest run-getter with 797 runs from 29 innings at a strike-rate of 144.38 – only three runs behind topper Quinton de Kock (800). Among those with a minimum of 500 runs for MI in this period, Suryakumar’s strike-rate is bettered by only the ever-explosive Kieron Pollard (168.19).
An exceptional player of spin and an improved batter against pace, Suryakumar has been in the form of his life. The batter made his India debut last year and has since gone on to cement his spot in the ODIs and T20Is.
