Ranji Trophy 2026-27: Siddhesh Lad, Ayush Mhatre lead Mumbai's team
What's the story
Mumbai's cricket team is gearing up for the new season of the Ranji Trophy, India's premier domestic red-ball tournament. The team will be led by Siddhesh Lad as captain and Ayush Mhatre as vice-captain. This is a big change for both players, with Lad taking on full-time captaincy for the first time and Mhatre stepping into his new role as the Under-19 World Cup-winning captain.
Legacy burden
Embracing the pressure
Lad and Mhatre acknowledged the immense pressure that comes with representing Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, a tournament their team has dominated over the years.
"Given Mumbai's rich history, there will always be pressure when you wear the Mumbai jersey," Lad said in a press conference on Thursday.
However, he added that they are ready to embrace this pressure as a unit because of their experience and preparations for the season.
Team composition
Mumbai's squad for Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season opener
Mumbai's squad for the first match of the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season includes experienced players and young talents.
Along with captain Lad and vice-captain Mhatre, the team features Yashasvi Jaiswal, 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 D'Souza, Onkar Tarmale.
Suryakumar
Lad's take on Suryakumar Yadav being dropped
Lad also spoke about Suryakumar Yadav, who wasn't included in Mumbai's squad.
The 36-year-old Suryakumar had made himself available for selection but he wasn't picked due to lack of red-ball practice, as per reports.
"Surya has been a fantastic player for Mumbai cricket. He has done a lot for Mumbai cricket over the years and also for the Indian team. He is a World Cup-winning captain. In our group, there is tremendous respect for Surya," Lad said.
"But whatever decisions are taken by the management and the selectors, whatever they feel is right at this moment, as a captain, I want to respect them."
Information
Lad respects the decision of selectors
"I am sure whoever is in contention and preparing well for the season will always be in the conversation. But I don't want to go beyond the selectors. It's their job, and my job is to work with the 15-member squad that I have," Lad added.