Suryakumar Yadav eyeing Test comeback with Buchi Babu tournament: 'Want to play all three formats for India'

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India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav hasn't given up on his Test cricket dreams, and has made himself available to play under Sarfaraz Khan for Mumbai in the Buchi Babu All India Invitation Cricket Tournament 2024 starting August 15.

Twelve teams have been divided into four groups. The matches will be played in four-day format, benefiting players who will also feature in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 later this year.

As India gear up to play a two-Test series against Bangladesh in September, Suryakumar Yadav has made his mind to feature in the Buchi Babu tournament, and give his best shot to return in the Indian squad.

"I want to play for India in all the three formats. Playing in Buchi Babu will give me good practice for the red ball tournaments this season," Suryakumar Yadav told Times of India.

The 33-year-old played his only Test match back in February 2023 against Australia. He scored eight runs in the only innings he batted. Suryakumar Yadav has also been dropped from the Indian ODI squad after failing to deliver in the World Cup 2023.

Mumbai’s chief selector Sanjay Patil has praised Surya for his tremendous gesture of calling and him and requesting to play in the Buchi Babu tournament which once used to see the participation of established Test stars like Sourav Ganguly, Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Mohammad Azharuddin.

"Surya just called me to tell me that he wants to play in the Buchi Babu tournament, and will be available from the second match onwards (TNCA XI at the same venue from August 27-30). Who wouldn't a player like him to play for them? It's a huge boost for Mumbai, and I'm very happy with his gesture," Sanjay Patil told TOI.

Suryakumar Yadav has played a total of 82 first-class matches and scored 5628 runs at an average of 43.62. He has 14 hundreds and 29 fifties to his name in red-ball format.