Suryakumar Yadav to play under Shreyas Iyer in SMAT 2024

The Border Gavaskar Trophy has hogged the limelight with Test cricket on the front foot currently. Meanwhile, during this break from shorter formats in India, senior T20I players have joined the domestic circuit. The red-ball domestic season wrapped up recently with Mumbai winning the Ranji Trophy and subsequently the Irani Cup. Now, the shorter format is in full swing with players like Hardik Pandya and Shreyas Iyer playing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Suryakumar Yadav set to play under Shreyas Iyer in SMAT

According to the latest reports, Suryakumar Yadav, India's T20I captain, will join the Mumbai camp for the ongoing tournament. The batter is expected to play in the SMAT under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer. Following a two-week break for a family event, the Indian skipper will return to action for Mumbai in their next match against Andhra on December 3. He is set to participate in the remainder of the tournament and will also feature in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which begins on December 21.

It is expected that Suryakumar will not captain Mumbai in the SMAT, with Shreyas Iyer having led the team so far and likely to continue in the role. Suryakumar has reportedly given his consent for Iyer to remain as captain and is open to batting in any position the team management sees fit. After guiding India to a dominant 3-1 series win over South Africa, Suryakumar will rejoin the Mumbai squad in Hyderabad on Monday and is anticipated to feature in their next match. Currently fourth in Group E, Mumbai has won two of their first three matches, with two more league games remaining after Sunday’s fixture against Nagaland.

The ongoing domestic tournament season has generated significant hype, with key players from the Indian team taking the field. Tilak Varma, coming into the tournament after his impressive performances in South Africa, became the first batter to score three consecutive T20 centuries, starting the SMAT with a ton. Shreyas Iyer added to the excitement by smashing a 37-ball century on the eve of the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami, recently recovering from an ankle injury, is playing in the white-ball series to ensure his fitness for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. Reports suggest that his performance and endurance are being assessed as he represents Bengal in the domestic tournament. If deemed fit by the BCCI management, Shami could join the Indian squad in Australia for the ongoing five-match series.