Shivam Dube to miss Ranji Trophy opener with back stiffness
What's the story
Mumbai all-rounder Shivam Dube has been ruled out of his team's first Ranji Trophy game against Jammu and Kashmir due to back stiffness. The match is set to be played in Srinagar from Wednesday. As per ESPNcricinfo, Dube had flown with the team but returned to Mumbai after experiencing back stiffness, which was aggravated by the cold weather conditions in Jammu and Kashmir.
Recovery hopes
Dube hopeful to recover in time for Australia series
A source from the Mumbai Cricket Association told The Indian Express that Dube was advised by the team's medical staff to rest. He returned to Mumbai on Tuesday night. Despite his absence, the Mumbai team is hopeful that Dube will recover by this weekend and join the Indian T20 squad for their five-match series against Australia starting October 23.
Performance highlights
Dube's all-round abilities will be missed
Dube was instrumental in India's Asia Cup victory last month. His ability to hit sixes, especially against spinners, makes him a potent lower-order batsman. Despite being part of the Indian T20 squad, Dube has also been a part of the Ranji squad for the last couple of seasons. Mumbai missed out on a knockout berth last season but will welcome back middle-order batsman Musheer Khan into their side.
Team dynamics
Mumbai's Ranji Trophy campaign
Mumbai is in Elite Group D with Hyderabad, Delhi, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Pondicherry, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. The team flew to J&K a few days ago under their new skipper Shardul Thakur. The squad already has some Indian players like Ajinkya Rahane and Sarfaraz Khan.