Suryakumar Yadav yet to attain full fitness ahead of Asia Cup; Hardik Pandya checks into NCA: Report

India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav underwent a sports hernia surgery in June in Munich, Germany. The Mumbai Indians batter had checked in at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, leading to speculations about him attaining full fitness ahead of the upcoming Men's Asia Cup. However, according to a report in the Times of India, Suryakumar Yadav is yet to attain full fitness and, as a result, he is expected to spend another week at the NCA to regain full fitness. Suryakumar Yadav yet to attain full fitness ahead of Asia Cup (PTI)

He will be training under the watchful eyes of the physios and the medical team. The Men's Asia Cup is slated to begin on September 9 with India playing their first match of the tournament on September 10 against the UAE.

The Indian T20I captain is expected to recover in time to lead the side in the upcoming eight-team tournament. Last week, Suryakumar Yadav shared an Instagram video showcasing his return to the NCA.

The right-handed batter was seen exercising and running to increase his workload. He also resumed his batting practice as he hit the NCA nets.

"Can't wait to be back doing what I love," Suryakumar Yadav wrote on Instagram.

The right-handed batter was last seen in action for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. He was exceptional with the bat, scoring 717 runs, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer of the season, only behind the eventual Orange Cap winner Sai Sudharsan of the Gujarat Titans.

Hardik Pandya checks into NCA

According to the same Times of India report, Hardik Pandya, the premier Indian all-rounder, has also checked into NCA ahead of the Asia Cup. He will undergo a routine fitness assessment on August 11 and 12.

The Mumbai Indians captain has been training in Mumbai since mid-July. He is expected to be a vital cog in India's squad for the Asia Cup and the eventual T20 World Cup, which will be played in India and Sri Lanka next year.

Shreyas Iyer also completed his fitness assessment at the NCA, which was conducted between July 27 and 29. Despite his remarkable form for Mumbai in domestic cricket, Shreyas was overlooked for India's five-match Test series against England.

Shreyas had led Punjab Kings to the IPL final earlier this year. However, he isn't a sure-shot starter in India's T20I squad for the Asia Cup. It remains to be seen whether the selectors decide to reward Shreyas for his performances.

Shreyas Iyer has not played a T20I for India since December 2023.

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