India, March 29 -- Mumbai Indians pulled off a surprising move on Sunday in their 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) opener against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, as they named Suryakumar Yadav, India's T20 World Cup-winning captain, in the Impact Sub list for the match.

Captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to bowl first in the clash against Kolkata. While he spoke about the abundance of leadership options in the XI, with two-time ICC title-winning skipper Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar and New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner in the mix, the team sheet revealed a notable tactical call. The India T20I captain was placed in the Impact Sub list alongside Corbin Bosch, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa and Ashwani Kumar.

Surya...