Suryakumar Yadav in action© AFP
Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav are set to play for Mumbai in the upcoming Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament against Jammu and Kashmir in Coimbatore from August 27. After Suryakumar confirmed his participation last week, the Mumbai Cricket Association’s joint secretary, Deepak Patil, issued a statement on Tuesday confirming Iyer’s availability for the match against Jammu and Kashmir. “Shreyas Iyer will play for the Mumbai team at the Buchi Babu Invitational tournament organised by Tamil Nadu Cricket Association. He will be playing the Mumbai v Jammu & Kashmir match to be played from August 27 at Coimbatore,” Patil announced.
The Buchi Babu Tournament, a historic fixture in India’s domestic cricket scene, will serve as a crucial platform for both Iyer and Suryakumar to fine-tune their games. Earlier, the BCCI had encouraged India internationals to participate in domestic tournaments ahead of the upcoming international season, recognising the importance of match practice in maintaining peak performance.
For Iyer, the Buchi Babu Tournament represents an opportunity to stake his claim for a spot in India’s Test squad ahead of the series against Bangladesh. Iyer, who has been a consistent performer in limited-overs cricket, is keen to cement his place in the Test side, and a strong showing in the Buchi Babu Tournament could be the catalyst for his inclusion.
On the other hand, Suryakumar, India’s T20I captain, remains determined to break into the Test cricket arena. Despite his success in the shorter formats, the stylish batter has not abandoned his aspirations in the longest format of the game.
The Mumbai team will be led by Sarfaraz Khan, who has been a standout performer in domestic cricket over the past few seasons. With the addition of Iyer and Suryakumar, Mumbai’s batting lineup is expected to be formidable, giving them a strong chance to make a deep run in the tournament.
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