Shardul Thakur and Ajinkya Rahane (Source: AFP)
Shardul Thakur has been appointed as the captain of Mumbai for the upcoming Ranji season after Ajinkya Rahane decided to move away from the leadership role. The development has been reported by the Indian Express, and the all-rounder was also recently named as the West Zone captain for the Duleep Trophy.
Shardul Thakur Rewarded For His Contribution To Mumbai Cricket
Shardul Thakur's appointment as a captain is a reward for his long and illustrious career with Mumbai as a player. The cricketer made his first-class debut in 2012 and has picked over 300 wickets for Mumbai. In recent times, he has been contributing regularly with the bat as well and has therefore been promoted to lead the 42-time Ranji Champions in the 2025-26 season.
Shardul Thakur was also part of the Indian Test side for the England tour and would now be looking to showcase his leadership skills in the domestic season. It has also been reported by the Indian Express that Ajinkya Rahane was consulted before making the final decision on the future captain.
Shardul Handed Responsibility Of Carrying Rich Legacy Of Mumbai Cricket
Under Rahane, Mumbai won the Ranji Trophy in the 2023-24 season and were also the winners of the Irani Trophy. They could not continue that dominance in the last domestic season, and it could be the reason that Rahane has decided to move on. He would be available as a player, though, and has been in good form in the last few domestic seasons.
Now, it would be interesting to see how Mumbai's Ranji team shapes under the new captain, Shardul Thakur. The all-rounder might lead Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy too, while Shreyas Iyer is likely to continue as a leader in the Syed Mustaq Ali Trophy if he is available for the competition.
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