MCA clarifies Suryakumar Yadav’s absence from Mumbai's Ranji Trophy squad, says 'we tried to contact him but he didn't...'

Speculation arose after India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav was conspicuously absent from the Mumbai's squad announced for the opening round of the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy.

Suryakumar's absence from Mumbai's Ranji squad raised eyebrows

Many questioned whether the senior batter had been dropped ahead of Mumbai’s first match against Jammu and Kashmir. However, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has since clarified that Suryakumar's exclusion was not a selection decision, but rather due to the fact that his availability could not be confirmed in time for the announcement.

MCA explains the reason behind Suryakumar's exclusion

Mumbai's 16-member squad, set to face Jammu and Kashmir at Srinagar’s Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium from October 15 to 18, saw several notable names. Shardul Thakur replaced Ajinkya Rahane as captain, while players like Sarfaraz Khan, Siddhesh Lad, Shivam Dube, and U19 skipper Ayush Mhatre were all included. Despite these names, the absence of a big star like Suryakumar came as a surprise, particularly as the Indian T20I skipper hasn't played a first-class match since February 2025. He was widely expected to return to red-ball cricket to prepare ahead of India's five-match T20I series against Australia, which begins on October 29. MCA secretary Abhay Hadap ultimately stepped in to confirm that the reason for the omission was simply the lack of timely confirmation regarding his participation.