Aoba Tanaka 
The Mumbai Indians are facing uncertainty over the availability of star batsman Suryakumar Yadav for the initial matches of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season as he continues to recover from a sports hernia injury.
Suryakumar, who has been sidelined since December due to an injury that required surgery, is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. With the IPL just around the corner, concerns loom over his readiness to take the field.
“He has been batting in the nets. Tuesday he has his first ‘open net’ session. He will go through some fielding drills too. Depending on how his body reacts to it, the BCCI’s medical team will then assess whether he’s fit to return to action,” a source revealed to TOI.
The Mumbai Indians are set to kick off their IPL campaign against the Gujarat Titans on March 24 in Ahmedabad, adding urgency to Yadav’s recovery process.
Meanwhile, MI coach Mark Boucher expressed optimism about the synergy between Sri Lanka’s pacer Nuwan Thushara and the team’s new bowling coach Lasith Malinga. Thushara, acquired by MI for Rs 4.8 crore in the auction, shares a similar bowling action with Malinga, which Boucher believes is a perfect match.
“They come from the same country, they have the same action, it’s a match made in heaven. He is the perfect coach for Nuwan and I think they both are in a very good space,” Boucher remarked.
As the IPL fervor builds up, fans eagerly await updates on Yadav’s fitness and the Mumbai Indians’ preparations ahead of what promises to be an exhilarating season of cricketing action.
