The incident occurred on the third day when Yadav, experimenting with off-spin, bowled a high full toss that Athish SR dispatched for four.
The delivery nearly resulted in an injury as the short-leg fielder was forced to duck instinctively. Yadav, frustrated with his mishap, immediately acknowledged the dangerous nature of the delivery with a gesture of apology.
Watch:
This wasn’t an isolated bowling incident for Yadav. In a T20 match against Sri Lanka last month, he surprised many by bowling, even completing a Super Over.
However, his bowling exploits in the Buchi Babu tournament were overshadowed by Mumbai’s struggles against a dominant TNCA XI.
Despite Himanshu Singh’s five-wicket haul, TNCA XI posted a commanding first innings total exceeding 350 runs. R Sai Kishore then spearheaded the bowling attack, dismantling Mumbai’s batting lineup, which folded for a paltry 156 runs.
While the team’s performance was underwhelming, the tournament holds significant weight for Suryakumar Yadav’s Test aspirations.
Having made his Test debut earlier this year against Australia, Yadav is aiming for a recall to the Indian Test squad for the upcoming Bangladesh series.
With his inclusion in the Duleep Trophy squad, Yadav views the Buchi Babu tournament and the upcoming first-class competition as crucial opportunities to showcase his red-ball prowess and solidify his position in the Test team.
Whether Yadav can replicate his limited-overs success in the longer format remains to be seen, but his participation in the Duleep Trophy indicates a clear intention to excel in red-ball cricket.