Suryakumar Yadav continues to push for India comeback, named Mumbai captain for SMAT 2026

Suryakumar Yadav remains firmly in contention for a return to India's T20I setup after being named captain of Mumbai for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). Mumbai have also included Shardul Thakur in the squad after the all-rounder missed the first leg of the Ranji Trophy due to an injury to his right middle finger.

Suryakumar was not included in Mumbai's Ranji Trophy squad for the first leg, with the selectors appointing Siddhesh Lad as captain of the red-ball side. However, Lad has been left out of the squad for the marquee T20 tournament despite leading Mumbai to four consecutive victories in the ongoing Ranji Trophy.

Mumbai are placed in Group D of the SMAT alongside Gujarat, Goa, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Uttarakhand. They will begin their campaign against Hyderabad in Kolkata on November 14.

Shivam Dube, Sarfaraz Khan and Tushar Deshpande are among the India internationals named in Mumbai's squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Meanwhile, Suryakumar has not played top-level competitive cricket since Mumbai Indians' IPL 2026 campaign. The right-hander expressed his delight at leading a squad that blends experience with youthful energy.

"It is always a matter of immense pride to represent Mumbai," Suryakumar said in a press release on Monday. "I am honoured to lead this talented group in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Mumbai has a rich cricketing legacy and a winning culture, and we will look to uphold those traditions. We have a good mix of experienced players and exciting young talent, and I am confident that the team will come together, play with intensity and give its best in every match. Our aim is to go all the way and bring the trophy home."

Mumbai squad for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Atharva Ankolekar, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (wicketkeeper), Shams Mulani, Divyaansh Saxena, Maxwell Swaminathan, Suved Parkar, Musheer Khan, Shardul Thakur, Sarfaraz Khan, Mohit Avasthi, Sairaj Patil, Sylvester D'Souza, Shivam Dube and Hardik Tamore.