(PTI Photo)
Suryakumar Yadav faced a significant injury concern just before the Duleep Trophy when he took a hit while fielding for Mumbai in their Buchi Babu tournament match against TNCA XI.
On Friday, August 30, during the Buchi Babu Invitational tournament, Suryakumar Yadav faced an injury scare while Shreyas Iyer and Sarfaraz Khan struggled with the bat. Suryakumar’s injury occurred on the third day of the match while he was fielding in the slips for Mumbai. Positioned at leg slip, he attempted to intercept a delivery from Musheer Khan that Pradosh Ranjan Paul had nudged towards him. As the ball veered to his right, Suryakumar reached out with both hands to stop it. Unfortunately, the ball eluded his grasp, causing him to wince and immediately clutch his right hand in pain.
Although the ball’s contact appeared minor, it was evident that Suryakumar Yadav was experiencing considerable pain. The Mumbai medical team promptly attended to him on the field, but despite their intervention, he ultimately had to leave for further treatment.
Mumbai now faces a challenging situation after TNCA XI set them a formidable target of 510 runs in their final group-stage match of the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament in Chennai on Thursday. The team’s difficulties began on Wednesday when they were bowled out for just 156, trailing TNCA XI’s first-innings score of 379. Despite a solid start, Suryakumar Yadav contributed only 30 runs, with Sarfaraz Khan (6) and Shreyas Iyer (2) also struggling to make a significant impact at the crease.
On Day Three of the match, TNCA XI’s second innings saw Lokeshwar S lead the scoring with a solid 73. He was well-supported by Athish SR, who contributed 57, and Mokit Hariharan RS, who added 52, helping their team to a total of 286 runs. The opening pair of Athish and Lokeshwar combined for a 142-run stand before Musheer Khan of Mumbai ended the partnership by dismissing Athish. Despite the fall of regular wickets thereafter, TNCA XI capitalized on their strong first-innings advantage, with Hariharan’s steady innings providing crucial runs towards the end.
For Mumbai, spinner Tanush Kotian was the standout with impressive figures of 5/91, while veteran Shams Mulani supported with 4/73. By the close of play, Mumbai’s openers had faced two overs, ending on 6 without loss. They now face the daunting task of chasing down a target of 510 to secure victory.
Suryakumar Yadav’s injury concern comes right before the Duleep Trophy.
Suryakumar Yadav’s injury scare comes at a crucial time, just before the Duleep Trophy, a tournament he saw as a key opportunity for his Test aspirations. The 33-year-old had shown a strong desire to represent India in Test cricket and was named in Team C for the tournament’s first round.
