Suryakumar Yadav’s comeback didn’t go as planned as the MI batter was dismissed for a duck against DC
It wasn’t the comeback Suryakumar Yadav would have anticipated when he made a return to the cricketing action with the Mumbai Indians on Sunday, as he was dismissed on a second-ball duck against the Delhi Capitals. Suryakumar joined the side days ahead of the side’s match against the DC, handing the MI a much-needed boost after a terrible start to the season; however, it was quite an anti-climax on his return, as he handed an easy catch off the very second delivery he faced at the Wankhede Stadium.
Suryakumar Yadav walks back after a duck against DC(IPL)
Facing a delivery pitched up by Anrich Nortje, Suryakumar attempted a lofted drive but found himself off balance with his weight on the back foot. As a result, he could only manage an inside edge, sending the ball high in the air. Jake Fraser-McGurk showed excellent fielding skills, backpedalling swiftly to secure the catch with both hands overhead, dismissing the batter early in the innings.
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Suryakumar Yadav’s last appearance on the field was back in December during India’s limited-overs series against South Africa. He picked up an ankle injury during a remarkable 100 runs off 56 balls in the third T20I in Johannesburg.
The injury led to him undergoing surgeries for both his ankle and a sports hernia. Consequently, he missed out on the T20I series against Afghanistan in January, which was India’s final international assignment in the format before the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup scheduled to commence on June 1 in the USA and the West Indies.
The right-handed batter is currently ranked no.1 in the T20I rankings, and is justifiably an important part of the international setup as Team India gears up for the marquee ICC tournament in June.
MI’s struggling start
It has been a controversy-ridden season for the Mumbai Indians so far in 2024, with the change in captaincy not sitting down well with many of the franchise’s fans. Hardik Pandya didn’t receive much fan support during the side’s opening three games, with the all-rounder also being booed by the home fans during their match against the Rajasthan Royals last week.
MI are currently the only side yet to register a win in the season, and will be aiming to get off the mark against the Delhi Capitals on Sunday.
