Suryakumar Yadav has informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) that he will skip Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy game against Pondicherry. It is learnt that Yadav, who is Indian cricket team’s T20I captain, wants to prepare for white ball cricket keeping the T20 World Cup 2026 in mind and he has made himself available for white ball cricket lined up aheadintheseason.
The Indian Express understands that MCA has also agreed to Shivam Dube’s request to not take part in the next Ranji Trophy game and instead saying he should prepare for the upcoming South Africa T20I’s series.
“Yadav has informed MCA that he won’t be available and we have accepted his request as we feel that with the T20 World Cup around the corner he should concentrate more on it. He has informed us that he will be available for Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare Trophy. As far as Dube is concerned, there is an upcoming T20I series against South Africa so he can prepare for the same. The selectors have picked Tanush Kotian and Mohit Awasthi for Mumbai’s next Ranji Trophy game,” a source in the MCA confirmed.
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This will be the last round of the first leg of Ranji Trophy games as the second leg is scheduled to be played from January 22. India will be playing a five match T20I series against South Africa starting from December 9 at Cuttack and will conclude on 19 at Ahmedabad. In the previous assignment the defending World T20 champions beat Australia 2-1 Down Under.
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The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (T20) will kick off from November 26 while Vijay Hazare Trophy will be played from December 24.
Yadav’s last appearance for Mumbai came early this year when he played against Vidarbha in the Ranji Trophy semi-finals and since beginning of the domestic season he has been busy with international commitments.
