Suryakumar Yadav Likely to Miss Mumbai Indians IPL 2024 Opener Following Fitness Assessment

Suryakumar Yadav, the talented cricketer who sustained an ankle injury during the South Africa tour in December 2023, may not be able to participate in the Mumbai Indians IPL 2024 season opener against the Gujarat Titans on March 24 in Ahmedabad.

This setback arises as Suryakumar Yadav is still awaiting clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) after undergoing surgery in Munich earlier this year.

The absence of Suryakumar Yadav in the Mumbai Indians lineup will be a significant blow to the five-time champions, as he has been a key player in their batting line-up for several seasons.

After his recent ankle surgery, Suryakumar Yadav went through a fitness assessment at the NCA in Bengaluru on Tuesday that did not result in his clearance to join the Mumbai Indians camp for the upcoming IPL season.

Suryakumar Yadav himself hinted at this development by posting a heart-broken emoji on social media, possibly indicating his disappointment regarding the fitness assessment outcome.

The dynamic batter last played for India during the T20I series in South Africa, even captaining the side before undergoing the surgery in Munich.

His next fitness test is scheduled for March 21, and with coach Mark Boucher also suggesting that Surya might have to miss a few initial games due to fitness concerns.

Addressing the media, Mark Boucher expressed concern over the ongoing fitness issues within the team and acknowledged the need to rely on the medical staff to manage player fitness effectively.