IPL 2024: Massive setback for Mumbai Indians; Suryakumar Yadav fails to clear fitness test, to miss a few matches

Star Mumbai Indians batter Suryakumar Yadav has failed to clear a fitness test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and will remain sidelined for at least three matches, as per reports.

Suryakumar Yadav has been out of action from December last year due to an ankle injury he suffered in a T20 match against South Africa. Post the injury, Yadav underwent surgery for sports hernia in Germany and has been under rehabilitation at the NCA in Bengaluru.

The batter took a fitness test on Tuesday, and based on how he fared, the doctors and the physio at the NCA have decided to give it more time before issuing a clearance.

This means Yadav will be ruled out for the Mumbai Indians’ opening match against the Gujarat Titans (on March 24) in the upcoming Indian Premier League, which is scheduled to start on March 22. The batter is one of vital cogs in the five-time champions Mumbai Indians’ wheel.

Suryakumar Yadav is scheduled to take his next fitness test on March 21, and if he fails to clear that, he would be doubtful for Mumbai Indians’ subsequent matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 27 and Rajasthan Royals on April 1.

The Mumbai Indians batter confirmed the development with a heart-break emoticon on social media.

Earlier, in a media interaction, Mumbai Indians’ head coach Mark Boucher said they were waiting for an update from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding Yadav’s fitness.

"We are awaiting updates on Suryakumar from the BCCI. We have always been under a cloud of fitness issues but we have a world-class medical team. We may lose one or two in terms of fitness, but we have to move on as is sport," Boucher said.

Suryakumar Yadav scored 3249 runs in 124 innings for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL so far. He has also been at the top of the game in the shortest format in India’s colours and, in quick time, jumped to the pinnacle of world rankings in T20s.