![Suryakumar to lead Mumbai in VHT, SMAT [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1793860006874_SuryakumartoleadMumbaiinVHT,SMAT.jpg?type=hq)
Suryakumar to lead Mumbai in VHT, SMAT [Source: AFP]
India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain, Suryakumar Yadav, is set to return to the domestic circuit, and he will captain the Mumbai side in the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT).
According to a report by Gaurav Gupta (TOI), the Mumbai selection committee has decided to hand over the captaincy duties to Suryakumar, who was recently replaced by Shreyas Iyer as India’s new T20I skipper.
Suryakumar made Mumbai captain after Ranji Trophy snub
This interesting development comes barely a month after Mumbai snubbed Suryakumar and overlooked him for the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 matches. The right-handed batter made himself available, but the selectors ignored him and cited his recent lack of red-ball matches as the main reason.
Mumbai failed to deliver the goods in SMAT 2025-26, and they were knocked out in the Quarters by Karnataka in the VHT. The team needed a strong showing in the upcoming domestic season, and Suryakumar’s presence will further help the side.
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Suryakumar Yadav's Mumbai begin their SMAT 2026-27 campaign against Hyderabad on November 14, with Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Odisha, Vidarbha, and Uttarakhand in SKY’s SMAT group as well.
Suryakumar aims to regain lost form in the upcoming competition
The upcoming SMAT and VHT could be a turning point in Suryakumar’s career as he aims to regain his lost form. One of the best T20I batters for India, the right-handed player was dropped from the side after he helped the team win the T20 World Cup.
While he was exceptional as captain for India, his batting form dipped, and his numbers declined. In nine matches at the T20 World Cup 2026, SKY could only score 242 runs, with an average of 30 and a strike rate of 136.72.
Moreover, the trend continued in the IPL 2026, wherein the Mumbai Indians star scored only 270 runs in 13 matches, with an average of 20 and a strike rate of 147.54.
Hence, the upcoming T20 tournament is crucial for the former Indian captain, as a strong performance could help him get his place back in the Indian T20I team for the 2028 World Cup.
