The T20 World Cup winner is on the outside looking in.
Mumbai’s selection committee, led by Rajesh Pawar, left Suryakumar Yadav out of the 16-member squad for the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy opener against Chandigarh. Despite confirming his availability, the 36-year-old was snubbed because the committee wants him to rebuild his red-ball rhythm after nearly two years without a game. He didn't even play in the local Kanga League or intra-squad matches at Wankhede and BKC.
The decision effectively cleared the path for Musheer Khan, who scored 96 for West Zone in the Duleep Trophy. A source in the MCA made the arithmetic blunt: picking Surya meant dropping Khan, which the committee deemed "not feasible." This wasn't a rebuke of his talent but a pragmatic move to keep the 16-man squad balanced.
With the captaincy, the committee went with experience. Siddhesh Lad leads the side, backed by India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan. The real story, though, is the vice-captaincy handed to young opener Ayush Mhatre. Pawar called him a "smart cricketer" in "excellent nick," pointing to his U-19 World Cup win as proof of his leadership potential.
It's not all smooth sailing. Shardul Thakur is out with a fractured right middle finger, likely missing the first two matches after being hit by a Mhatre-driven ball during practice. Angkrish Raghuvanshi, fresh off a 203 for Rest of India Under-23, was also left out for the senior side but remains in the U-23 setup.
Mumbai takes on Chandigarh from October 11 at Wankhede, with the committee betting that this "best team" is ready for the season.