Mahela Jayawardene in press conference after MI vs KKR match© BCCI/Sportzpics
Mumbai Indians’ opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign produced a major surprise as vice-captain Suryakumar Yadav was left on the bench against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Suryakumar, who remains one of the pillars of the team, was brought into the game in the second innings on Sunday. Though he did not last long, his unusual usage by the franchise left fans wondering if all was well in the camp. Mumbai Indians coach Mahela Jayawardene, speaking to reporters in the post-match press conference, calmed the rising storm by revealing that the decision was taken as the franchise wanted to give Surya a little more time after a gruelling T20 World Cup 2026 campaign.
“I hope you don’t create unwanted stories. The camp is very happy. Everyone’s happy. Sky came, joined us. He had an extra couple of days he wanted as well. He joined. He had a slightly tight groin. He was doing fielding and all that. I knew I had another five days from this game to the next game. I just wanted to give him that extra bit of time. He was even keen at the end to go for three to four overs,” Jayawardene said.
Jayawardene put an end to speculation as he confirmed that there was a bit of a niggle that Suryakumar had to deal with, not long before the opening match against his former franchise.
“I said, no, just fine. It’s okay. It was a change. Please don’t create any stories. It’s just that I have to take precautions. These are very valuable players for me to have them going throughout the season. These are calculated decisions that I make, and the management makes. There’s nothing beyond that,” he added.
On multiple occasions last season, it was former MI skipper Rohit Sharma who was used as an Impact Player off the bench. This time, it was Suryakumar’s turn to play the same role.
In the match, Suryakumar scored a total of 16 runs from just eight balls. Thankfully, however, the Mumbai Indians did not need him at his best in the game as the opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton had all but finished the job in the chase of 221 runs.