The Mumbai Indians’ star batter Suryakumar Yadav is back in the squad in preparation for their important game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the upcoming IPL 2026 tournament. Yadav had not taken part in his last match against Punjab Kings (PBKS), held in Dharamshala, because of personal reasons.
Earlier, he and his wife Devika Shetty were blessed with a baby girl. Because of spending time with his family, Yadav opted to take some rest from the league, during which the team beat PBKS in a thrilling six-wicket game on May 14.
Hardik Pandya could not play in that game since he was injured, and Suryakumar’s brother-in-law, Jasprit Bumrah, led the Mumbai Indians to victory.
Is Injury Affecting Suryakumar Yadav’s IPL 2026 Performance?
One of the major topics associated with the performance of Suryakumar Yadav during this year is his poor form during IPL 2026. According to multiple reports, he has been affected by a chronic wrist injury, which has had a negative impact on his batting.
Suryakumar Yadav, who plays for Mumbai Indians, has been seen wearing massive amounts of tape on his right wrist, not only in matches but also during practice sessions.
It is said that he has not received any surgical treatment for this problem; hence, the only way to keep him playing throughout the tournament is through medications. His wrist injury seems to affect his unique 360-degree batting style.
Mumbai Indians Using Suryakumar Yadav as Impact Player
As fitness issues kept arising, the Mumbai Indians had frequently been utilizing Suryakumar Yadav as an Impact Player for their IPL 2026 games.
The five-time IPL winners have been facing difficulties in getting consistency from their batter. Up until now, Suryakumar has scored just 195 runs in eleven matches at an average of 17.73, alongside having a strike rate of 144.09. This poor record from Suryakumar has sparked alarm for many of the MI followers.
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Suryakumar Yadav Confirms Return Through Instagram Post
Saturday, May 16 saw Suryakumar Yadav make his intentions known about his comeback via an Instagram story. He posted a picture of himself during the practice session at Wankhede Stadium, with a glimpse of the pitch and groundsmen readying themselves for practice.
The caption written by Suryakumar under this picture read routine, with a heavily weighted emoji, making it clear that he was back into training for the matches to come.
It has been reported that Suryakumar should be available for selection for their upcoming IPL 2026 clash with Kolkata Knight Riders on May 20 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
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