Shardul Thakur Takes the Helm as Mumbai’s Captain for Ranji Trophy Season

Shardul Thakur has officially been named the captain of the Mumbai cricket team for the upcoming Ranji Trophy season, commencing on October 15. Even before Ajinkya Rahane announced his decision to step down from the role after leading the team for two seasons, Shardul’s promotion was widely expected.

The decision to elevate Shardul to captain was confirmed by the senior selection committee, headed by Sanjay Patil, during their meeting to finalize the list of probables for the season. “The committee unanimously agreed on Shardul’s appointment. He has demonstrated leadership both on and off the field. We hope he will continue to lead the team effectively,” Patil told Sportstar.

A three-time Ranji Trophy champion, Shardul recently captained the West Zone in its semifinal match in the Duleep Trophy earlier this month. He is aiming for another Ranji title, with guidance from the senior veteran Ajinkya Rahane.

Sarfaraz Khan, who is in recovery from a quadriceps injury sustained during the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament in Chennai last month, is likely to be ready for Mumbai’s opening match against Jammu & Kashmir.

During the selection process, the committee decided to focus on players expected to be available throughout the season. “Players on national duty will join as per their availability,” stated a release from Mumbai Cricket Association secretary Abhay Hadap and joint secretary Deepak Patil.

The Probables:
Shardul Thakur (Captain), Ayush Mhatre, Musheer Khan, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Akhil Herwadkar, Ajinkya Rahane, Sarfaraz Khan, Siddhesh Lad, Suved Parkar, Suryansh Shedge, Akash Parkar, Tushar Deshpande, Sylvester D’souza, Irfan Umair, Roystan Dias, Pratik Mishra, Akash Anand (wk), Hardik Tamore (wk), Prasad Pawar (wk), Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Himanshu Singh, Atharva Ankolekar, Ishan Mulchandani.

Published on September 26, 2025.