T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav has been appointed as the captain of Mumbai for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) announced All-rounder Shardul Thakur has also returned to the 16-member squad after recovering from a finger injury.
Suryakumar’s appointment brings a change in Mumbai’s leadership across formats this season. Shardul had captained the side across formats last season, while Siddhesh Lad was named captain for Mumbai’s ongoing Ranji Trophy campaign. Suryakumar, meanwhile, was not included in the squad for the first phase of the Ranji Trophy.
The MCA said Suryakumar would bring his international experience, leadership qualities and aggressive batting to the team. The squad features a combination of experienced domestic and international players, along with young talent.
Speaking about his appointment, Suryakumar said representing Mumbai was a matter of immense pride and described leading the side in the domestic T20 competition as an honour. “It is always a matter of immense pride to represent Mumbai. I am honoured to lead this talented group in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Mumbai has a rich cricketing legacy and a winning culture, and we will look to uphold those traditions,” he said in an MCA statement.
“We have a good mix of experienced players and exciting young talent, and I am confident that the team will come together, play with intensity and give its best in every match. Our aim is to go all the way and bring the trophy home,” he added.
Suryakumar Yadav’s Mumbai captaincy comes after T20 World Cup triumph
Suryakumar’s appointment comes after a successful campaign as India’s captain, having led the national team to retain the Men’s T20 World Cup title earlier in 2026. The right-handed batter was not part of Mumbai’s initial Ranji Trophy plans and has been representing MIG Cricket Club in the MCA President’s Cup.
Mumbai will, however, be without a few key players during the tournament. All-rounders Tanush Kotian and Suryansh Shedge will miss the competition after being named in India’s squad for the Rising Stars Asia Cup, scheduled to take place in Doha from November 19 to 29.
Shreyas Iyer is currently occupied with India’s ODI series against New Zealand, while Ranji Trophy captain Siddhesh Lad is also not part of the SMAT campaign.
Mumbai’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026 schedule
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy begins on November 14, with Mumbai set to open their campaign against Hyderabad in Kolkata. They have been placed in Elite Group D alongside Gujarat, Goa, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Uttarakhand.
Mumbai will face Gujarat on November 16 before taking on Goa on November 18. Their remaining league fixtures include matches against Vidarbha (November 20), Chhattisgarh (November 22), Odisha (November 24) and Uttarakhand (November 26).
Mumbai squad for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026:
Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), 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 D’Souza, Shivam Dube and Hardik Tamore (WK).
