Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav is currently going through a rough patch. Despite leading Team India to victory in the Asia Cup 2025, his personal performance with the bat has been underwhelming. As the team prepares for the upcoming Australia tour, concerns over his form are mounting. Now, it seems his struggles have spilled over into domestic cricket as well — the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has excluded him from the squad for the first match of the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy season.
🏏 Surya Left Out of Mumbai’s Ranji Team
The Ranji Trophy 2025–26 season kicks off on October 15, with all 38 teams playing their opening matches on the same day. Mumbai, the record 42-time champions, will face Jammu & Kashmir in their first group-stage match. On October 10, MCA announced a 16-member squad for this fixture, and notably, Suryakumar Yadav was not included. He was part of the team last season but has been dropped this time.
While MCA hasn’t officially stated the reason, it’s likely a combination of Surya’s current form and the selectors’ intent to give opportunities to younger players. Additionally, Surya is scheduled to leave for the Australia tour after October 20, so he may have been rested. However, since the match runs from October 15 to 18, playing it could have offered him valuable match practice before the tour.
👑 Shardul Thakur Named Mumbai Captain
Another major change in the Mumbai squad is the captaincy. Ajinkya Rahane, who led the team last season, stepped down before the new season began. In his place, seasoned all-rounder Shardul Thakur has been appointed captain. Rahane remains part of the squad, while explosive batter Shivam Dube — also selected for the Australia T20 tour — has been included.
📋 Mumbai Squad for First Ranji Match (2025–26)
- Shardul Thakur (Captain)
- Ayush Mhatre
- Akash Anand (Wicketkeeper)
- Ajinkya Rahane
- Siddhesh Lad
- Shivam Dube
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Shams Mulani
- Tanush Kotian
- Tushar Deshpande
- Sylvester D’Souza
- Hardik Tamore (Wicketkeeper)
- Irfan Umair
- Musheer Khan
- Akhil Herwadkar
- Royston Dias
📌 With Suryakumar’s exclusion making headlines, all eyes will be on his performance in Australia. Will he bounce back and silence the critics?