India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has taken a significant step toward full fitness as he was seen batting in the nets at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE), where he is currently undergoing rehabilitation.
The star batter had undergone surgery in July for a sports hernia in his lower-right abdomen in Munich, Germany, and has since been working on his recovery at the CoE. While a recent video on his Instagram account showcased his return to batting drills, it is understood that he had already resumed light batting practice towards the end of last week.
Accompanying the video, Suryakumar wrote, “Can’t wait to be back doing what I love,” as he was seen engaging in running, exercises, and strength-building routines, all key parts of his workload progression en route to regaining full match fitness.
The timing of his recovery comes as a boost to Team India, with the Asia Cup 2025 scheduled to take place in the UAE from September 9 to 28. Suryakumar is expected to lead the squad, continuing in his role as India’s full-time T20I captain, a position he took over following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the format after India’s 2024 T20 World Cup victory.
Suryakumar’s recent form has been nothing short of exceptional. In the IPL 2025 season, he delivered a standout performance for Mumbai Indians (MI), finishing as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). He scored 717 runs, making him the second-highest run-scorer behind B. Sai Sudharsan of the Gujarat Titans (GT) notched up 759 runs.
As a captain, Suryakumar has been equally impressive. Under his leadership, India has won 17 out of 22 matches. Statistically, he remains one of India’s most explosive batters in the shortest format, amassing 2,598 runs in 83 T20Is at an average of 38.2 and a phenomenal strike rate of 167.07.
His last competitive appearance came in June when he played for Triumph Knights Mumbai North East in the Mumbai T20 League, scoring 122 runs in four innings.
As the countdown to the Asia Cup begins, fans and selectors alike will be watching closely as Suryakumar edges closer to match readiness, hoping he will be at full strength to lead India’s title charge in the UAE.