Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 20 (ANI): India Test captain Rohit Sharma and young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal have been included in Mumbai’s squad for their upcoming Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir.
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) released a statement to announce the decision of the senior selection committee.
The Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir will be played from January 23 to 26 at MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy, BKC, Mumbai.
Rohit and Jaiswal’s inclusion stands out as the most notable inclusion in Mumbai’s 17-player squad. The opening duo was a part of India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which ended earlier this month.
Ajinkya Rahane will continue to play the captain’s role. Opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi has made way for Rohit, indicating that the veteran would play the opener’s role against Jammu & Kashmir.
The Indian Test skipper’s last Ranji appearance for Mumbai dates back to November 2015. Rohit blazed his way to 113 in 140 balls against Uttar Pradeh, which ended in a draw.
In the Test format, Rohit’s recent performances have raised concerns about his place in the team. During India’s tour of Australia, the seasoned opener managed a mere 31 runs in five innings across three Tests.
The 2024-25 Test season, in particular, was dismal for Rohit. He garnered 164 runs in eight matches and 15 innings at an average of 10.93, with his highest score being 52–a solitary half-century against Bangladesh.
As captain, Rohit experienced some jaw-dropping lows. Just before the Test series against Australia, India suffered their first home Test series loss in 12 years, going down 0-3 to New Zealand. This was also India’s first-ever whitewash in a home Test series since 2000.
After India won the first Test against Australia at Perth by 295 runs under the captaincy of Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit returned to the side following the birth of his second child.
However, his return saw mixed results. India lost the pink-ball Test at Adelaide, managed a draw in the third Test at Brisbane, but succumbed to defeats in the Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests at Melbourne and Sydney, respectively.
In the 2024 calendar year, Rohit lost six Tests, including four at home. This led to a decline in his record as a Test captain, with 12 wins, nine losses, and three draws.
Meanwhile, Jaiswal has enjoyed a stellar run across all formats. He racked up 293 runs in eight T20Is at an average of 41.85 and two fifties. The young southpaw top-scored for India in international cricket last year and was overall second, with 1,771 runs in 23 matches and 37 innings at an average of 52.08, with three tons and 11 fifties.
He last represented Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy in January 2023 before his Test debut against West Indies later that year, managing scores of 0 and 14 against Maharashtra. The match ended in a draw.
Shreyas Iyer, who was named in India’s squad for the Champions Trophy, has been on a hot streak of form. He has 452 runs in four matches and five innings at an average of 90.40, with the best score of 233, including two centuries.
Mumbai Squad: Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ayush Mhatre, Shreyas Iyer, Siddhesh Lad, Shivam Dube, Hardik Tamore (WK), Akash Anand (WK), Tanush Kotian, Shams Mulani, Himanshu Singh, Shardul Thakur, Mohit Awasthi, Sylvester Dsouza, Royston Dias, Karsh Kothari. (ANI)
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