Thakur Named Captain, Sarfaraz and Rahane in Mumbai Squad for Ranji Trophy Opener vs J&K

Mumbai, Oct 10: India all rounder Shardul Thakur has been appointed captain of the Mumbai cricket team for the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, succeeding Ajinkya Rahane. The 16 member squad for the season opener against Jammu & Kashmir in Srinagar’s Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium from October 15-18 also includes Rahane and Sarfaraz Khan.

Mumbai, 42-time Ranji Trophy champions, will begin their campaign in Elite Group D, which also features Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Hyderabad, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Pondicherry. The team looks to bounce back after last season’s opening loss to J&K in Srinagar by five wickets.

The squad features national players like Sarfaraz Khan, returning all-rounder Shivam Dube, and Musheer Khan, who missed most of the previous season due to a car accident. Ayush Mhatre, opener for Mumbai and Chennai Super Kings, and former India U-19 captain, is also included.

Notable absentees are Shreyas Iyer, taking a break from red ball cricket due to back issues, Prithvi Shaw, who has moved to Maharashtra, and Suryakumar Yadav, who featured in last season’s Ranji semi final.

Mumbai Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Squad:
Shardul Thakur (c), Ayush Mhatre, Akash Anand (wk), Hardik Tamore (wk), Siddhesh Lad, Ajinkya Rahane, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande, Sylvester D’Souza, Irfan Umair, Musheer Khan, Akhil Herwadkar, Royston Dias