Mumbai have announced their 16-member squad for their opening Ranji Trophy 2026-27 fixture against Chandigarh at the Wankhede Stadium, starting October 11. The 42-time champions will be captained by Siddhesh Lad, with promising young batter Ayush Mhatre named as the vice-captain.
The most prominent talking point surrounding the squad selection is the exclusion of India star Suryakumar Yadav. Although the batter made himself available for the tournament, the selection committee decided not to include him. Yadav has been out of competitive cricket since the Mumbai T20 League concluded in June and has not featured in red-ball cricket for approximately 18 months.
Suryakumar Yadav Excluded Despite Availability
Reports indicate that Suryakumar Yadav communicated his availability to the Mumbai selection committee, headed by Rajesh Pawar. Despite this, the selectors chose to leave him out of the squad for the season opener. Pawar highlighted that Yadav is a crucial match-winner and a proven performer for the team, but emphasized the need for him to regain match rhythm. Given his prolonged hiatus from red-ball cricket, the committee has adopted a cautious approach, preferring to ease him back into competitive cricket.
“He is obviously a big-match player and a proven performer for Mumbai. We just want him to get into rhythm by playing a few red-ball matches. Surya hasn’t played a red-ball match for the last 18 months, so we want him to have a few games under his belt and then he can get into the team,” Pawar explained.
In another key decision, Ayush Mhatre has been entrusted with the vice-captaincy as Mumbai look to groom the 19-year-old for future leadership roles. Having recently captained India to the Under-19 World Cup title, Mhatre brings promising credentials, having played 13 first-class matches over the past two seasons.
Key Players Return as Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Feature in Squad
Yashasvi Jaiswal has confirmed his availability and secured his place in the squad. Meanwhile, Sarfaraz Khan has been included following his impressive performances for the Rest of India in the Irani Cup. On the other hand, Suryansh Shedge will miss the opening matches after being selected for India A’s squad for the three-match ODI series in Puducherry.
Shardul Thakur is also slated to miss the first two matches of the campaign due to a fractured right middle finger. Mumbai will begin their campaign against Chandigarh at the Wankhede Stadium on October 11, aiming for a strong start under the leadership of their new captain, Siddhesh Lad.
Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy squad: Siddhesh Lad (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ayush Mhatre (vice-captain), Divyansh Saxena, Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz Khan, Suved Parkar, Aakash Anand (wk), Hardik Tamore (wk), Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Atharva Ankolekar, Tushar Deshpande, Mohit Awasthi, Sylvester Dsouza, Onkar Tarmale.
