Suryakumar Yadav gives reminder of red-ball talent with stroke-filled 70 for Mumbai, 129-run stand with Ajinkya Rahane

India’s star Test batters failed to impress on their recent return to the Ranji Trophy but that hasn’t quite been the case for T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav. Widely rated as the best batter in the world in the shortest format but enduring a dip in form, Suryakumar scored 70 in just 86 balls in Mumbai’s second innings against Haryana in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal.

Suryakumar shared a 129-run stand with captain Ajinkya Rahane, who finished Day 3 unbeaten on 88 off 142 balls. His innings included eight fours and two sixes. Suryakumar had earlier been dismissed for just nine runs off five balls in Mumbai’s first innings at the Eden Gardens, in which they were eventually rescued by their bowling all-rounders Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian. His second innings half-century is part of a generally better showing from the Mumbai batters.

While he may be known around the world for his prowess in the shortest format of the game, Suryakumar has been in the first class circuit for 15 years, having made his debut in a Ranji Trophy match against Gujarat in February 2010. He came into this match with 5656 first class runs in 84 matches at an average of 42.84 with 14 centuries and 29 half-centuries.

Suryakumar continuing to aim for Test cricket

Suryakumar had been on the periphery of the Indian Test team for a brief period and even played one match against Australia in February 2023 in Nagpur. He batted just once and fell on a 20-ball eight. Suryakumar has also been unable to replicate his T20I success in ODIs, scoring 773 runs in 37 matches at an average of 25.76 and being well below the pecking order for selection in the 2025 Champions Trophy.

While he has never managed to get anywhere close to the Test team since his solitary appearance, Suryakumar said last year that he continues to harbour hopes of making a comeback. “Going forward, if I have to play, that is not in my control. What is in my control right now is to play this tournament (Buchi Babu), go on to play the Duleep Trophy and then we will see what happens,” said Suryakumar. The fact that he has returned to play the Ranji Trophy just days after leading India in the fifth T20I against England shows that Suryakumar continues to harbour hopes of making it into the Test squad.