Suryakumar Yadav wanted to play Ranji Trophy cricket. He was available for Mumbai’s first game and had made this clear. But when Mumbai announced their squad for the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy opener against Chandigarh, his name was missing. Yashasvi Jaiswal, meanwhile, was picked.

This is another big setback for Suryakumar, who was India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain only a few months ago. His career has taken a difficult turn recently. He has lost the T20I captaincy, lost his place in India’s T20I squad, and now Mumbai have also left him out of their Ranji team.

Mumbai had asked Suryakumar about his availability, and he had confirmed it. Still, Mumbai picked a 16-member squad without him, while Jaiswal made the cut.

Mumbai Selectors Have a Reason for Leaving Suryakumar Yadav Out

Mumbai chief selector Rajesh Pawar said Suryakumar Yadav was left out mainly because he has not played red-ball cricket recently. His last first-class game came in February 2025. He also missed Mumbai’s pre-season camp in June. The selectors preferred players who had prepared with the team and did not want to overlook an in-form young batter. 

Pawar explained the situation clearly.

“He is a very big player. But he hasn’t played red-ball cricket in the last one and a half years. Should he play a few red-ball games, he can definitely come into the side,” Pawar said.

Mumbai have not closed the door on Suryakumar. But his reputation alone will not get him into the team. The Indian Express reported that MCA officials said he did not respond to calls. His absence from Mumbai’s pre-season camp also mattered. So, calling it a “snub” may be too strong. He was available but was not selected. 

Yashasvi Jaiswal Gets the Call Instead

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s selection makes the situation more interesting. He has been picked for Mumbai’s game against Chandigarh at Wankhede Stadium on October 11. Sarfaraz Khan is also in the squad, while Siddhesh Lad will lead the team.

Jaiswal’s selection makes sense because he has recent red-ball experience and is an important Test opener for India.

Suryakumar, however, has a very different red-ball record. He has played only one Test and scored eight runs. His first-class record is much better, with 5,750 runs in 85 matches at 42.59, including 14 centuries and 30 fifties. Still, his international career now mainly focuses on white-ball cricket, especially T20s.

From T20 World Cup Captain to Out of the T20I Squad

The Ranji Trophy situation is part of a much bigger problem for Suryakumar Yadav.

He led India to the 2026 T20 World Cup title. India won 42 of their 50 completed T20Is under his captaincy.

But after the World Cup, the selectors removed him as T20I captain. They then left him out of the T20I squad altogether. Shreyas Iyer took over as captain.

This decision was especially difficult for Suryakumar because his last India appearance came in the World Cup final against New Zealand.

He went from lifting the World Cup trophy as India’s captain to watching the team’s next T20I games from outside the squad.

Suryakumar later spoke about the decision and admitted that it shocked him. On Aakash Chopra’s YouTube show, he said he spent 40-50 days at home thinking about what had happened and whether he wanted to continue playing.

He also questioned why India changed the captain after such a successful run.

“When everything is going well, then why the change?” Suryakumar said.

His recent numbers also give some context to the selectors’ decision.

Suryakumar scored 242 runs in nine games during the 2026 T20 World Cup. He averaged 30.25 in the tournament. He then scored only 270 runs for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026.

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Suryakumar Yadav T20I Numbers Are Still Excellent

Despite his recent problems, Suryakumar’s overall T20I record remains very strong.

He has scored 3,272 runs in 113 T20Is at an average of 36.36 and a strike rate of 162.95. He also has four T20I centuries and 25 fifties.

These numbers show why his current situation has surprised many people.

However, his recent form and India’s plans for the future have gone against him.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar had earlier explained that form and India’s plans for the next World Cup cycle played a role in the decision to remove Suryakumar from the captaincy and the T20I squad.

Now, months later, Suryakumar appears to be outside India’s immediate T20I plans.

That does not mean his India career is over. But he now has a lot of work to do if he wants to return.

ODIs and Tests Have Not Given Him Another Route

Suryakumar does not have another easy route back to the Indian team. He has played 37 ODIs and scored 773 runs at an average of 25.77, with a best score of 72. He has no ODI century and has four fifties.

His Test career is even smaller. He has played only one Test, against Australia in February 2023, and scored eight runs.

That leaves T20 cricket as his strongest format. But even there, he is currently out of India’s squad.

This makes the Ranji Trophy situation important. Playing domestic cricket could have helped Suryakumar regain confidence, improve his red-ball game and show the selectors his value. Instead, Mumbai want him to get more red-ball practice first.

Mumbai could still use him in white-ball cricket. The MCA may consider him for the white-ball captaincy if Shreyas Iyer is unavailable. So, his career is not over, but his road back to India has become harder.

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Suryakumar Yadav Now Has Something to Prove

Suryakumar Yadav has already achieved what many cricketers dream of. He became one of the best T20 batters in the world, led India and won a T20 World Cup.

But his situation is very different now. He is no longer India’s T20I captain and is also out of the T20I squad. His ODI career did not reach the level many expected, while Test cricket never became a regular part of his career.

Even after making himself available for Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy campaign, he did not make the squad. Mumbai want him to play more red-ball cricket first.

For now, Suryakumar remains hopeful of an India comeback. He said he was working hard and hoping that “everything falls into place.”

The question is whether he can turn this difficult phase into another comeback.

What do you think? Will Suryakumar Yadav be back in Indian colors? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. 

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