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Team India and Mumbai Indians' star batter Suryakumar Yadav returned to action as he was seen batting in nets for the first time since undergoing surgery in January 2024. Suryakumar getting back to groove comes as a massive boost for Mumbai Indian (MI) and Team India ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 and T20 World Cup 2024.
Surya hits the nets for the first time post surgery
Sharing a video on his Instagram story, Suryakumar was spotted practicing his batting, gearing up for the upcoming IPL season.
Surya recovers from injury
Suryakumar Yadav has been away from competitive cricket following India's T20I series against South Africa. He sustained an ankle injury while fielding in Johannesburg on December 14, 2023, which subsequently led to the diagnosis of a sports hernia, adding to his fitness woes. Consequently, Suryakumar had to sit out until February 2024, missing out on important preparation time for the World Cup.
Yadav's return to the nets is a hugely positive development for both Mumbai Indians and fans of the Indian national team. With Mumbai Indians undergoing a change in leadership with Hardik Pandya replacing Rohit Sharma as captain, they are looking for some consistency in the upcoming season. Suryakumar Yadav's presence in the squad is expected to bolster their performance during the challenging middle overs of the tournament. Ahead of the T20 World Cup, Suryakumar aims to gain valuable playing time during the IPL 2024. Before his injury, Yadav was in exceptional form in the T20 format, having scored a half-century and a century in his last two T20I matches against South Africa.
SKY's impressive stats in T20Is
Suryakumar boasts impressive statistics in the T20I arena. Since his debut in 2021, he has participated in 60 T20I matches, amassing 2141 runs with an astounding average of 45.55 and a strike rate of 171.55. From these matches, Yadav has hit 4 centuries and 17 half-centuries, highlighting his significant impact in the format.
The Mumbai Indians have appointed Hardik Pandya as their captain for the IPL 2024 season, succeeding Rohit Sharma. This decision has sparked varied reactions within the cricket community, although Mumbai describes it as a critical step in leadership evolution.
Mahela Jayawardene, the team's former coach and now Global Head of Performance, mentioned that this captaincy shift is a strategic move aimed at preparing the team for future challenges. The anticipation of a leadership change in the Mumbai Indians camp had been growing since Hardik Pandya's return through a landmark trade agreement during the IPL 2024 auction on December 19. Hardik, who was released by MI prior to the IPL 2022 mega auction, subsequently took the helm at Gujarat Titans, a team newly introduced in 2022. Under his leadership, Hardik quickly proved his mettle, guiding the Titans to victory in their debut IPL season in 2022 and reaching the final in 2023.
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