Suryakumar Yadav in doubt for Mumbai Indians' season opener

Suryakumar Yadav might not be fit in time for Mumbai Indians' IPL 2024 season opener against Gujarat Titans on March 24 as he continues his recovery from an ankle surgery he had earlier in the year.

While Mumbai Indians head coach Mark Boucher did not provide a definitive fitness update, he did not confirm that Suryakumar had been cleared to play by the BCCI's medical staff either. He will miss the two warm-up matches MI will play on Monday and Wednesday before travelling to Ahmedabad.

"Surya at the moment is on the guidance of the Indian cricket team as well," Boucher said at the pre-season press conference in Mumbai on Monday. "Just waiting for updates on that. I don't like to micromanage. We've got a world class medical team that's in control of all of that. Yes, the past, we have had a few fitness issues. We are always going to be in that sort of domain of having fitness issues as other teams are as well.

"Every time I look at my WhatsApp's there's reports of other teams also losing players. We trust our medical team that they're doing the right things. Look, if we lose one or two from fitness perspective, it is what it is. That's important and we just have to keep on the right track and sharp on replacements."

Suryakumar last played in December during the limited-overs leg of India's tour of South Africa. He picked up an ankle injury while scoring 100 off 56 balls in the third T20I in Johannesburg and went on to have two surgeries - one for his ankle and another for a sports hernia. His recovery ruled him out of the T20I series against Afghanistan at home in January, India's last international assignment in the format before the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies starting on June 1.

Suryakumar was aiming to return in the DY Patil T20 Cup, a private annual event in Mumbai, in the lead up to the IPL but he is presently at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and is to receive clearance from the BCCI medical staff.