Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has announced their 16-member squad for the opening fixture of the Ranji Trophy 2025 season against Jammu and Kashmir. One of the major talking points from the announcement is the absence of India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, who has not been included in the team.
Suryakumar Yadav Unavailable for Selection, Confirms MCA
Contrary to speculation, Suryakumar Yadav hasn’t been dropped from the squad. MCA secretary Abhay Hadap clarified that the star batter’s availability wasn’t confirmed before the selection.
“No, SKY hasn’t been dropped. It’s just that his availability wasn’t confirmed for this match. The Mumbai Cricket Association staff tried to contact him, but he didn’t give his availability for this match to us,” Hadap told TOI.
The timing of the Ranji Trophy opener on October 15 (Wednesday) is set to overlap with India’s T20I series in Australia, and Suryakumar is expected to be part of the national setup during that period.
Shreyas Iyer Requests Break; Shardul Thakur Named Captain
Mumbai will also miss the services of Shreyas Iyer, who has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for a six-month break from red-ball cricket to manage workload and form. With two of their top stars out, Mumbai has handed the captaincy to Shardul Thakur, who replaces Ajinkya Rahane at the helm.
In a boost to the team, Ayush Mhatre, the India U-19 and CSK opener, will join the squad in Srinagar. The squad also welcomes back key players like Musheer Khan and Tushar Deshpande, while Sarfaraz Khan will be looking to make another strong impression to earn a Test recall.
Mumbai Squad for Ranji Trophy 2025 Opener vs Jammu and Kashmir:
- 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
Mumbai will be aiming for a strong start to the season despite missing a few key names, and their lineup still boasts a good mix of youth and experience. All eyes will be on how the new-look side performs when they take on Jammu and Kashmir in their season opener.
