Sarfaraz Khan is likely to be in India’s squad for the New Zealand Tests. Meanwhile, his younger brother Musheer Khan is out with an unfortunate injury. However, in a boost for Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy campaign, Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav has confirmed his availability for the team’s match against Maharashtra. The defending champions will lock horns with their state rivals from October 18 to 21 in Mumbai.
Suryakumar, currently leading India in the T20I series against Bangladesh, has informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) of his decision. “He has informed the MCA that he will be part of the Ranji Trophy team which will play against Maharashtra,” a source confirmed to the IndianExpress.
Suryakumar Yadav keeps his Test dreams in check
It won’t be an overstatement to say that India has not produced a bigger match-winner than Suryakumar Yadav in T20s. While most of them have potential, SKY has mixed his X-factor with an exceptional dose of consistency, and only he knows how. However, just like every cricketer, he knows that the ultimate format of cricket is Test cricket. Leave aside all the glitz and glamour of the shortest format; a toil that a cricketer goes through five days of high-intensity cricket in a red-ball game and coming out victor gives immense satisfaction.
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While he is already a legend in T20s, Suryakumar Yadav boasts an average of 43.62 at a strike rate of 63.74 in 82 first-class matches. SKY made his debut for Mumbai way back in 2010 and to regularly feature and muster 5,628 runs for a star-studded Mumbai team is commendable itself. Despite being a renowned T20 specialist and the frontrunner to lead India at the next World Cup in 2026, Suryakumar has consistently prioritized domestic cricket. His commitment to playing for Mumbai has been evident in his past appearances, even during international breaks.
With the Indian team set to play a three-match Test series against New Zealand following the Bangladesh series, SKY’s chances of featuring in the longer format remain slim. The Indian middle-order already has the likes of Sarfaraz Khan, KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel. The Indian selectors are expected to stick with the squad that played the recent Test matches against Bangladesh.
Mumbai, who recently clinched the Irani Trophy, will kick off their Ranji Trophy campaign against Baroda from October 11.
