India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav is on track for recovery, with no doubts about his availability for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh next month. According to reports from Hindustan Times, both the National Cricket Academy (NCA) medical team and Surya himself are satisfied with his progress.
A BCCI source, who met Suryakumar during the Duleep Trophy match between India A and India B at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, confirmed that Surya is nearly at full fitness. His recovery is progressing well, and the star batsman is optimistic about his return.
Suryakumar had initially been slated to represent India C in the first round of the Duleep Trophy against India D in Anantapur, but a sprained right thumb ruled him out of the match. The injury occurred while fielding during a Buchi Babu Invitational tournament match against TNCA XI. As a precaution, he did not bat in the second innings and was sent to the NCA for medical supervision.
The BCCI Medical Team continues to monitor Surya’s condition, and his availability for the second round of the Duleep Trophy will be assessed next week. While he missed the first fixture, Surya’s involvement in the latter stages of the tournament is likely.
Throughout the India A vs India B match, Suryakumar was present at the Chinnaswamy Stadium and appeared to be in good spirits, engaging with his teammates. As things stand, he is expected to feature in the second round of the Duleep Trophy, although no replacements have been named for him in the India C squad, indicating optimism for his return.
If Surya does play India C’s upcoming match against India B, it will mark his first red-ball appearance in over 14 months. His last red-ball match was also in the Duleep Trophy last year, highlighting the significance of this tournament for his Test cricket ambitions.
Despite being a dominant force in T20I cricket, Suryakumar has struggled in ODIs, averaging just 25 after 35 innings. His Test career has also been hampered by injuries, with his last appearance being a single Test during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia last year.
Meanwhile, several Indian Test cricketers, barring Sarfaraz Khan, are set to leave for Chennai ahead of the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting September 19.
