Star middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav has received the green light from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to play in the upcoming Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals match at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday (April 7). Yadav’s return to cricket action follows a rigorous three-month recovery and rehabilitation period at the NCA, where he underwent treatment for a grade II ankle tear sustained during the T20I series in South Africa.

A source reveals “He is fit now….”

A source in the BCCI confirmed, “He is fit now. The NCA made him play a few practice games and he looked good. He can join the Mumbai Indians team. We wanted to be sure that when Surya goes back to MI, he is 100 percent fit and ready to play games. He wasn’t feeling 100% during his first fitness Test before the IPL, so we waited to see if there was any pain while he was batting.”

Jiska humein tha intezaar.. 🤩🤌

सूर्या दादा is here, Paltan! 💙#MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians | @surya_14kumar pic.twitter.com/eL98y970Pe

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 5, 2024

Subsequently, he also underwent surgery for a hernia injury, extending his absence from the field until now. The decision to delay Yadav’s return was made by the BCCI and NCA staff to minimize the risk of reinjury and ensure his fitness for competitive cricket.

SKY is back 🔥🔥#SuryakumarYadav pic.twitter.com/RvagOyaezx

— Vikas Yadav 🇮🇳 (@imvikasyadav_) April 5, 2024

Mumbai Indians seek resurgence With Yadav’s comeback

The return of Suryakumar Yadav, currently ranked as the ICC’s top T20I batsman, comes as a much-needed boost for the struggling Mumbai Indians. He finally joins the team and MI welcome him with a light of hope.

After suffering three consecutive defeats in the ongoing IPL 2024 season, skipper Hardik Pandya has faced mounting criticism from fans. In their previous match against Rajasthan Royals (RR), Pandya top-scored for Mumbai with 34 runs off 21 deliveries, while young talent Tilak Varma contributed a crucial 32 runs off 29 balls.

“If there’s one thing you should know about this team, we never give up. We’ll keep fighting, we’ll keep going,” Pandya wrote on X. 

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However, the Mumbai Indians were restricted to 125/9 as Rajasthan’s bowlers dominated proceedings. Despite the setbacks, Pandya remains optimistic, affirming the team’s determination to fight back in the T20 tournament. Pandya’s statement, shared on his official social media account, reassures fans of Mumbai Indians’ resilience and commitment to turning their season around. With Yadav’s return and Pandya’s leadership, Mumbai Indians aim to revive their campaign and reclaim their winning form in the IPL.