Suryakumar Yadav named captain as Mumbai name strong squad for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026

Mumbai have announced a strong 16-member squad for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2026, with former India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav handed the responsibility of leading the side. The appointment marks an important opportunity for the experienced batter, who will be eager to rediscover his form and make a strong case for an international comeback after being dropped from the Indian team following the T20 World Cup.

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) confirmed the squad on Monday, bringing together several established domestic performers, international cricketers and promising youngsters for India’s premier domestic T20 competition.

Suryakumar Yadav gets leadership responsibility after missing out on Ranji Trophy selection

Suryakumar’s appointment as Mumbai captain comes after a difficult period in his cricketing career. On October 6, the Mumbai selectors overlooked him for the Ranji Trophy squad despite the batter making himself available for the entire season. The reason cited at the time was his lack of sufficient red-ball cricket.

However, the 36-year-old has continued to feature in Mumbai’s domestic cricket circuit. He recently represented MIG Cricket Club in the MCA President’s Cup A and B Division T20 tournament. On Monday morning, Suryakumar also led one of the sides during an intra-squad practice match against a team captained by Sarfaraz Khan at the Brabourne Stadium, located at the Cricket Club of India.

The MCA highlighted Surya’s international experience and leadership qualities while announcing the squad. In their statement, the association said that India’s T20 captain would bring his experience, leadership and explosive batting ability to the Mumbai setup. It also emphasised the combination of experienced players and emerging talent in the squad.

“The MCA is pleased to announce the Mumbai Senior Men’s squad for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India’s premier domestic T20 competition. India T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav will lead the Mumbai side, bringing his vast international experience, leadership and explosive batting prowess to the team,” wrote MCA in their statement.

Shardul Thakur returns as Shivam Dube makes the squad

Apart from Suryakumar’s appointment, Mumbai have received another significant boost with the return of senior all-rounder Shardul Thakur. The experienced campaigner has recovered from a middle-finger fracture that forced him to miss the first leg of the Ranji Trophy.

India all-rounder Shivam Dube has also been included, adding further depth to Mumbai’s squad. Meanwhile, Sarfaraz will be part of the 16-member group after captaining the opposition during Monday’s practice match.

However, Mumbai will miss the services of their Ranji Trophy captain Siddhesh Lad, who has decided to sit out the white-ball competition. All-rounders Suryansh Shedge and Tanush Kotian will also be unavailable as they are set to represent India A in the ACC Rising Stars tournament in Doha, scheduled from November 19 to 29.

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Mumbai begin campaign against Hyderabad on November 14

Mumbai enter the tournament after an impressive start to their Ranji Trophy campaign, having secured outright victories in all four matches during the first leg. Their attention will now shift towards the shortest format, with the SMAT 2026-27 scheduled to begin on November 14. Mumbai will play their league-stage fixtures in Kolkata and open their campaign against Hyderabad on the opening day. They have been placed in Group D alongside Gujarat, Goa, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Uttarakhand.

Mumbai squad for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Atharva Ankolekar, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (WK), Shams Mulani, Divyansh Saxena, Maxwell Swaminathan, Suved Parkar, Tushar Deshpande, Musheer Khan, Shardul Thakur, Sarfaraz Khan, Mohit Avasthi, Sairaj Patil, Sylvester Dsouza, Shivam Dube and Hardik Tamore (WK)

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