Ajinkya Rahane (Source:X)
In a significant development, Ajinkya Rahane has informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) that he will not be available for the remainder of the ongoing red-ball season due to personal reasons.
As a result, Rahane will miss Mumbai’s final two league matches of the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy season.
Ajinkya Rahane opts out of Ranji Trophy matches
Confirming the development, a source from the MCA told The Indian Express that Ajinkya Rahane has communicated his unavailability to the association.
"We will be picking the Mumbai team for their second stage of league game. Rahane won’t be taking part as he has informed MCA that he won’t be available for the remaining two red-ball games," the source said.
The star player has represented Mumbai in the last two domestic seasons. However, he has been out of favour for national selection and last played for India in July 2023.
Ajinkya Rahane's recent performance
Looking at his recent performances, Rahane last played in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Mumbai against Rajasthan on December 16, 2026. In that match, he scored an impressive 72 runs off 41 balls at a strike rate of 175.60.
Overall, in the SMAT T20 2025 season, Rahane played 10 innings, scoring 391 runs at a strike rate of 160.91 and an average of 48.88.
In contrast, his numbers in the Ranji Trophy 2025–26 season were more subdued. He scored 209 runs in six innings at an average of 34.83, with a strike rate of 45.63.
Before the start of the current season, Rahane had stepped down as the captain of the Mumbai team. He announced the decision through social media, stating that it was the right time to groom a younger player for the leadership role.
Following his decision, all-rounder Shardul Thakur was appointed as the new captain of the side. Despite stepping down, Rahane had made it clear that he would continue serving Mumbai cricket as a player.
Under his leadership, Mumbai enjoyed significant success, winning the 2023–24 Ranji Trophy. The team also lifted the 2024–25 Irani Cup during his tenure.
Mumbai's schedule for Ranji Trophy
Mumbai is scheduled to play their next Ranji Trophy match against Hyderabad away from home from January 22 to January 25. After that, the team will return to Mumbai to play their final league-stage match against Delhi from January 29 to February 1.
The Mumbai squad for the Hyderabad match is set to be selected on January 17, but Rahane’s name will not be part of the squad.
Currently, Mumbai is in a strong position in the Ranji Trophy. They sit at the top of the Group D points table with 24 points from five matches, registering three wins and two draws.
It is important to note that Rahane is also part of the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders and is expected to feature in the upcoming IPL season. He was retained by the 2024 defending champions for INR 1.5 crore ahead of the mini-auction.
