Image Credit- AP
Ankle damage suffered by Suryakumar Yadav could
sideline him for seven weeks, which would be a significant blow to India’s T20
World Cup preparations in 2024. According to reports, Suryakumar, who filled in
as skipper for India during their just-ended Twenty20 International series
against Australia and South Africa, tore a Grade-II ligament in his ankle.
The Indian Express reports that last week, upon
Suryakumar’s return to India from South Africa, where he had injured his ankle
during the third Twenty20 International in Johannesburg, his ankle was
examined. The only T20I matches left for India until they play in the T20 World
Cup are the next three-match series against Afghanistan, which he will now miss
due to the severity of his injury.
The South African innings’ third over was when the
event took place. That day, Suryakumar, who had earlier scored his fourth T20I
century, went after the ball and injured his ankle while picking it up and
threw it. Vice captain Ravindra Jadeja ended up captaining the team for the
remainder of the match after helping him off the pitch with assistance from the
physios. India overwhelmingly won the game by 106 runs.
He was asked about the injury during the post-match
presentation ceremony. “I am good. I am able to walk so it is not that
serious,” he had said.
Suryakumar had been in imperious form on return to
T20Is after the 2023 World Cup. He became the third Indian batter after Virat
Kohli and Rohit Sharma to score more than 2000 runs in the format. His century
at the Wanderers against South Africa took him level with Rohit Sharma and
Glenn Maxwell for most tons in the format.