Indian cricketer Suryakumar Yadav's participation in the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2024 is now uncertain following a hand injury he sustained while playing for Mumbai in the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament. The injury occurred during a match against the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association XI, raising concerns about his fitness ahead of the prestigious domestic competition.

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The incident happened on the third day of the match while Suryakumar was fielding at leg slip during TNCA XI's second innings. Reports say he was in pain after the blow and did not return to the field all day. He also missed batting in Mumbai's second inning, which saw the team suffer a heavy defeat by 286 runs.

The seriousness of Suryakumar’s hand injury has not yet been officially disclosed by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), leaving his availability for the Duleep Trophy in doubt. The uncertainty surrounding his fitness is a setback, especially as the Indian T20I captain has been eyeing a strong performance in red-ball cricket to further his Test career prospects.

Suryakumar Yadav’s Excitement for Red-Ball Cricket

Before the injury, Suryakumar Yadav had expressed his eagerness to showcase his skills in the longer format of the game. Speaking about his upcoming commitments, he had mentioned, "What is in my power right now is to play the Buchi Babu tournament, go on to play the Duleep Trophy and then see what happens. But yes, I'm really looking forward. There are ten Test matches lined up (in India's international season at home) and I'm obviously excited for some red-ball fun."