India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, has recently had surgery in Munich, Germany, to address a sports hernia in his lower right abdomen. The 34-year-old cricketer took to social media on Wednesday to confirm the procedure went smoothly and shared his positive outlook on recovery.

“Life Update: Underwent surgery for a sports hernia in the lower right abdomen. Grateful to share that after a smooth surgery, I’m already on the road to recovery. Can’t wait to be back,” Suryakumar wrote.

This operation marks the third time in three years that Suryakumar has gone under the knife, following an ankle surgery in 2023 and a previous sports hernia surgery in 2024. He chose to have the procedure during a break in his international duties, allowing for proper recovery without missing key fixtures.

Suryakumar had been in impressive form before the surgery, playing a crucial role for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025. He scored a remarkable 717 runs throughout the tournament, the highest by any Mumbai Indians batter in a single season and a record for non-openers in IPL history. His performances earned him the Player of the Tournament title. After the IPL, he also captained the Triumph Knights Mumbai North East in the T20 Mumbai League, scoring 122 runs in five innings.

A sports hernia is an injury affecting soft tissues in the groin or lower abdomen, including muscles and ligaments, which is common among athletes due to repetitive strain. Post-surgery, Suryakumar is expected to begin rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru within two weeks.

India is currently engaged in a Test series against England, which runs until August 4, followed by a white-ball tour of Bangladesh featuring three ODIs and three T20Is. Suryakumar is slated to lead the Indian T20I squad in Bangladesh starting August 26. Notably, he has not played in the ODI format since the 2023 World Cup final.

Since taking over as T20I captain after India’s 2024 World Cup victory, Suryakumar has guided a new, aggressive batting approach from a younger team, regularly posting high totals, including a record 297 against Bangladesh—one of the highest ever in T20 internationals.

Suryakumar’s last international outing was during India’s T20I series against England earlier this year. The timing of his surgery ensures he should be back in full fitness to lead India’s T20I side in the upcoming Bangladesh series.