The stylish batter Suryakumar Yadav might have to sit out of the Mumbai Indian's (MI) IPL 2022 opener against Delhi Capitals which will be played on March 27. It was learnt that Yadav, who is one of the four players retained by MI, is yet to fully recover from a hairline fracture on his thumb.
The 31-year-old sustained the injury during the T20 series against the West Indies and subsequently missed the assignment against Sri Lanka.
"Surya is currently at the NCA doing his rehabilitation. He is well on his way to recovery but there is a possibility that his participation in the opening game will be a real touch and go affair," a senior BCCI source privy to developments said.
"So there could be a possibility that he might be advised by the board's medical team to not risk playing the opener," he added.
For MI, Yadav is the most important batter apart from skipper Rohit Sharma and their Rs 15.25 crore 'buy-back' Ishan Kishan. Hence, there is no way that even the MI team management would take any risk as they have a larger picture to look at.
MI have a five-day gap after their first game and they next play Rajasthan Royals on April 2. It is believed that the 360 degree power-hitter will be good to go by then.
"I think by the second MI game, he would be 100 per cent match fit. It is likely to be more of a precautionary measure if he doesn't play the first game," the source added.
Yadav was in fantastic form during the T20 series against the West Indies where he won the 'Player of the Series' award.
Players are required to undergo fitness tests after injury under the presence of coaches at the academy. The majority of Team India's white-ball squad were asked to report to the NCA for a 10-day fitness camp ahead of IPL 2022.
Mumbai Indians' bought players in IPL mega auction 2022:
Ishan Kishan – Rs 15.25 Crore
Dewald Brevis – Rs 3 Crore
Basil Thampi – Rs 30 Lakh
Murugan Ashwin – Rs 1.60 Crore
Jaydev Unadkat- Rs 1.30 crore
Tymal Mills- Rs 1.5 crore
Mayank Markande- Rs 65 lakh
Tilak Varma- Rs 1.70 crore
Sanjay Yadav- Rs 50 lakh
Jofra Archer- Rs 8 crore
Daniel Sams- Rs 2.60 crore
Tim David- Rs 8.25 crore
Riley Meredith- Rs 1 crore
Anmolpreet Singh- Rs 20 lakh
Ramandeep Singh- Rs 20 lakh
Rahul Buddhi- Rs 20 lakh
Hrithik Shokeen- Rs 20 lakh
Arjun Tendulkar- Rs 30 lakh
Arshad Khan- Rs 20 lakh
Aryan Juyal- Rs 20 lakh
Fabian Allen- Rs 75 lakh
Mumbai Indians' full squad for IPL 2022: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard, Dewald Brevis, Murugan Ashwin, Basil Thampi, Tilak Varma, Sanjay Yadav, Daniel Sams, Jofra Archer, Tymal Mills, Tim David, Riley Meredith, Mohd. Arshad Khan, Anmolpreet Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Rahul Buddhi, Hrithik Shokeen, Arjun Tendulkar, Aryan Juyal, Fabian Allen.
