SKY-back — Mumbai Ranji door remains open for Suryakumar Yadav

The Mumbai Ranji team door is open for Suryakumar Yadav, should he want to return to red-ball cricket, it is learnt.

Surya hasn’t played a first-class match since February 2025 — a Ranji Trophy semi-final between Vidarbha and Mumbai in Nagpur. That was in the 2024-25 season. Last term, with him helming India’s T20I side, the focus was solely on the shortest format in the lead-up to the World Cup. Surya captained India to the crowning glory but was unceremoniously dumped after the tournament, with Shreyas Iyer taking over as T20I captain. So, Surya will be free to play the Ranji Trophy this season.

Will he make himself available? A conversation between him and the Mumbai selectors could take place in the coming days.

It’s an irony that Surya has played only one Test in his career — against Australia in Nagpur in 2023. He scored eight in the only innings he batted. For a serious red-ball player, who boasts a tally of 5,758 runs, including 14 hundreds, in 86 first-class matches, it was surprising that he has such a tenuous link to the longest format at the highest level. Surya has always made himself available for Mumbai when he is not on India duty. But with Test cricket now a closed chapter for the 35-year-old and the youth focus in Mumbai cricket, will he be considered for Ranji Trophy selection this season?

“The selectors will have a word with him (Surya),” said a source in the know. “If he makes himself available for the Ranji Trophy, he will be picked. A player of his stature, the team will benefit from his presence.”

Surya still hasn’t given up on a T20I comeback. But there’s no correlation between him aiming for that and playing red-ball cricket. Mumbai’s first match in the Ranji Trophy this season is against Chandigarh from October 11.

Siddhesh Lad replaces Shardul Thakur

Meanwhile, the Rajesh Pawar-led Mumbai selection committee has decided to appoint Siddhesh Lad as the new Ranji captain, replacing Shardul Thakur.

“We have done it to reduce Shardul’s workload, and it has nothing to do with performance,” Pawar told RevSportz. “Shardul has done well as a skipper. But he is our premier all-rounder. So, already there’s enough load on him. Without captaincy, he can solely focus on his cricket. I have spoken to him before taking the decision and he is OK with it.”

Lad, 34, was Mumbai’s highest scorer last term, with 774 runs, including five hundreds, from 11 innings at an average of 77.40. The 42-time champions, however, were knocked out in the quarter-finals, losing at home against Karnataka.

Pawar informed that no decision has been taken yet regarding the Mumbai white-ball captaincy.

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