In a massive boost for the under-performing Mumbai Indians, Suryakumar Yadav has been declared fit by the National Cricket Academy to join the franchise on April 5.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the NCA physio were in no hurry to risk the prolific Indian T20 batter in the T20 World Cup 2024 year. He was declared fit to return to action after undergoing three fitness tests.

“He is fit now. The NCA made him play a few practice games and he looked good. He can join the Mumbai Indians team. We wanted to be sure that when Surya goes back to MI, he is 100 percent fit and ready to play games. He wasn’t feeling 100% during his first fitness Test before the IPL, so we waited to see if there was any pain while he was batting,” a source in the BCCI told the Indian Express.

Yadav had suffered a grade II ankle tear during the T20 series against South Africa and was ruled out for seven weeks initially. Later, he had to undergo an operation for a hernia, which saw him miss out on action to date.

Mumbai Indians will be hopeful that their fortune changes with Yadav”s inclusion as the franchise are currently sitting with a wooden spoon at the bottom of the table with three consecutive losses.