Mumbai: In a surprising turn of events that could potentially mark the end of his red-ball journey, India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav has been excluded from the 16-man Mumbai squad for the upcoming 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season opener. The match, scheduled against Jammu & Kashmir, will take place at the Sher-E-Kashmir Cricket Stadium in Srinagar starting October 15th.
The senior selection committee, led by Sanjay Patil, announced the squad, which notably includes India’s Under-19 captain Ayush Mhatre. Mhatre is set to join the team in Srinagar immediately after returning from Australia. The Mumbai team will be captained by India’s out-of-favour Test all-rounder, Shardul Thakur.
MCA secretary Abhay Hadap clarified the situation, stating, “No, SKY hasn’t been dropped. It’s just that his availability wasn’t confirmed for this match. The Mumbai Cricket Association’s staff attempted to contact him for his availability, but he did not provide a confirmation for this particular game.”
Speculation about Yadav’s absence from the Ranji Trophy squad intensified after he also missed Mumbai’s three-day practice match against Maharashtra in Pune, which concluded recently. A source close to the developments suggested, “It’s understandable because, realistically, there’s no chance he would be selected for India in Tests or even ODIs. He’s 35 now and primarily focuses on the T20 format for the national team.”
Yadav’s recent first-class form has been mixed. Last season, he scored 109 runs in three matches at an average of 21.80, including a top score of 70 in the quarter-finals against Haryana. However, he managed scores of just 0 and 23 when Mumbai faced eventual champions Vidarbha in the semi-finals. Over his nearly 15-year first-class career, which began in December 2010 against Delhi, Suryakumar has accumulated 5,758 runs in 86 matches at an average of 42.33, featuring 14 centuries, 30 half-centuries, and a highest score of 200 against Orissa (now Odisha).
Currently, Yadav is experiencing a lean patch, with only 72 runs scored in seven matches at an average of 18.00. Missing this crucial Ranji Trophy match means he will also miss vital match practice before India’s five-match T20I series against Australia, which kicks off on October 29th in Canberra.
This marks a significant period for Mumbai cricket, as it will be the first time in many years that the team will play without both Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer. Iyer has reportedly requested a six-month break from red-ball cricket due to persistent back issues.
In positive news for Mumbai, Sarfaraz Khan makes a welcome return to the squad after successfully completing his injury rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. Sarfaraz had sustained a quadriceps injury after scoring back-to-back hundreds in the Buchi Babu Trophy, which forced him to miss the Duleep and Irani Trophies. All-rounder Shivam Dube also joins the squad, fresh from his impactful performances for India during their Asia Cup triumph in the UAE last month.
Under the new leadership of Shardul Thakur, the Mumbai team is scheduled to depart for Srinagar on Saturday. Veteran batsman Ajinkya Rahane, who stepped down from the Mumbai captaincy in August, pacer Tushar Deshpande, and all-rounder Musheer Khan are all making their comeback to domestic cricket after missing the entire 2024-25 domestic season due to injuries.
The Official Mumbai Squad:
Shardul Thakur (Captain), Ayush Mhatre, Aakash Anand (WK), Ajinkya Rahane, Siddhesh Lad, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande, Sylvester Dsouza, Hardik Tamore (WK), Irfan Umair, Musheer Khan, Akhil Herwadkar, Royston Dias.