September 2, 2024

Suryakumar Yadav Injured Before Bangladesh Series, Heads to NCA for Assessment

Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20 captain, will miss the first round of the Duleep Trophy due to a hand injury. The injury occurred during the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament while playing for Mumbai against TNCA XI in Coimbatore, where he had to leave the field on the final day.

Yadav was set to play for India C in their opening match against India D from September 5-8 in Ananthapur. However, he will be absent from this game and is currently undergoing assessment and rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. This injury is particularly untimely as the Duleep Trophy is a key opportunity for players to showcase their skills ahead of the two-Test series against Bangladesh starting on September 19 in Chennai.

In the first round of the Duleep Trophy, India A will play against India B at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. This tournament offers a valuable chance for players to impress selectors and vie for a spot in the national team for the upcoming Bangladesh series.

Suryakumar Yadav, who will miss this opportunity due to his hand injury, has not been a part of the Test squad since last year. He played just one Test against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar series, where he scored 8 runs in his only innings and has not featured in the Test team since then.

Earlier this year, Suryakumar was named India’s T20I captain, succeeding Rohit Sharma. Under his leadership, India began the new era with a strong performance, winning a T20I series 3-0 against Sri Lanka on their home ground.

‘I don’t have that jealousy…’: Ashwin’s honest ‘not Jadeja’s fault’ response as India spinner addresses team dynamics

Ravichandran Ashwin recently shared his thoughts on his relationship with Ravindra Jadeja and team combinations in Test cricket.

Ashwin and Jadeja, one of India’s most successful spin pairs, have dominated Test cricket for years. Both are among India’s top 10 wicket-takers in Test history—Ashwin is second only to Anil Kumble, while Jadeja is currently in seventh place. Their partnership has been especially effective in India, where their combined spin prowess has dismantled many batting lineups.

However, India often faces the tough decision of benching one of these star spinners for overseas Tests, with Ashwin frequently being the one left out.

In a recent interview with journalist Vimal Kumar, Ravichandran Ashwin addressed the issue of being benched in favor of Ravindra Jadeja. When asked how he handles this situation, Ashwin sharply responded, “You are talking about jealousy,” challenging the notion that one player’s selection should come at the expense of another’s.

Ashwin explained that such decisions often come from a limited perspective that compares players directly. He emphasized that he focuses on his own performance and the overall success of the team, rather than dwelling on these comparisons.

“It’s not Jadeja’s fault that I’m not playing. I don’t have the kind of jealousy where I would wish to keep him out just to play myself. The notion of jealousy is a conditioning we need to overcome,” Ashwin said in the interview, posted on the journalist’s official YouTube channel.

Ashwin did not shy away from acknowledging the immense talent that Jadeja brings to the table, lauding his teammate’s exceptional abilities across all facets of the game.

“Jadeja is the most talented cricketer I’ve seen; everything about him is natural. Over the years, our relationship has improved as we’ve learned to understand each other’s differences,” Ashwin said.

“I tend to think a lot, whereas he does not. Understanding took time, but now we have a strong working relationship.”

Currently, Ravichandran Ashwin mainly plays Test cricket for India, while Ravindra Jadeja was not part of the ODI squad in last month’s series against Sri Lanka. However, both players are expected to return for the upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh, which will be India’s first Test series in nearly six months.

India has 10 Tests remaining in their World Test Championship cycle, including a highly anticipated five-match series in Australia.