Ajinkya Rahane steps down as Mumbai captain: Details here
What's the story
Ajinkya Rahane, the veteran Indian cricketer, has announced his decision to step down as the captain of Mumbai ahead of the upcoming domestic season. He made the announcement on social media, explaining that he felt it was time to groom a new leader within the team. "Captaining and winning championships with the Mumbai team has been an absolute honor," Rahane said in his post.
Future plans
I remain fully committed to giving my best: Rahane
Rahane, who has been a key player for Mumbai in the domestic circuit, said he will continue his journey with the team. "I remain fully committed to giving my best as a player and will continue my journey with @MumbaiCricAssoc to help us win more trophies," he added in his post. This statement shows that even though he is stepping down from captaincy, his dedication toward the team remains unchanged.
Achievements
Rahane led Mumbai to 2 domestic titles
Under Rahane's captaincy, Mumbai ended a seven-year wait for the Ranji Trophy by clinching the title in the 2023-24 season. The team also secured the Irani Trophy in the 2024-25 campaign. Despite stepping down as captain, Rahane made it clear that he has no intention of retiring and will continue to serve Mumbai as a batsman across formats.
Potential successors
Who will lead Mumbai next?
Mumbai's squad is packed with experienced leaders like Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Sarfaraz Khan. Except for Jaiswal and Sarfaraz, the others boast impressive captaincy credentials - Iyer has led three IPL franchises while Suryakumar is India's current T20I captain. Given Jaiswal's Test commitments, selectors may favor a captain available for most of the domestic season. Both Iyer and Suryakumar are strong candidates to succeed Rahane as Mumbai captain.
Twitter Post
Here is his post!
Captaining and winning championships with the Mumbai team has been an absolute honour.
— Ajinkya Rahane (@ajinkyarahane88) August 21, 2025
With a new domestic season ahead, I believe it’s the right time to groom a new leader, and hence I’ve decided not to continue in the captaincy role.
I remain fully committed to giving my best…