Ranji Trophy: Mumbai announces list of 25 probables with five slots still open in quest of title defence

The selection committee has left no stone unturned in ensuring the probables and other fringe players participate in all local tournaments, whenever they are available.

File Photo: Mumbai’s Ajinkya Rahane during last season’s Ranji Trophy semifinal. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI/ The Hindu

Contrary to the convention of selecting 30 probables for a Ranji Trophy season, the Mumbai selection committee has announced a list of 25 probables in its quest of title defence. The decision, though, is based on the selection committee’s plan of rewarding performers in local tournaments.

“We have left the five probables slots open. We shall keep adding names to the pool of probables as the local season progresses,” Sanjay Patil, the chairman of the selection panel, told Sportstar. “The selection committee has unanimously decided this in consultation with the CIC chief Raju Kulkarni, our mentor Milind Rege and the office-bearers.”

In fact, the selection committee has left no stone unturned in ensuring the probables and other fringe players participate in all local tournaments, whenever they are available.

“All the players are advised to play in MCA tournaments in order to be considered for selection in the Mumbai team,” states the official announcement release, signed by secretary Abhay Hadap.

The list does not include Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, the duo that has been sharing India’s captaincy responsibilites in international cricket. Considering India’s rigorous international schedule, the duo has been offered the option of making themselves available whenever they are available.

Deshpande to undergo ankle surgery

The list also excluded Tushar Deshpande who recently broke down with a left ankle surgery. Deshpande will go under the knife on September 30 on his left ankle in London. His return to the field will be assessed once he begins his rehab.

The probables:

Ajinkya Rahane, Prithvi Shaw, Ayush Mhatre, Musheer Khan, Shreyas Iyer, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Siddhesh Lad, Suryansh Shedge, Hardik Tamore (wk), Sidhhant Adhatrao, (wk), Shardul Thakur, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Himanshu Singh, Mohit Avasthi, Junaid Khan, Royston Dias, Harsh Tanna, Prasad Pawar (wk), Shashank Attarde, Karsh Kothari, Atharva Ankolekar, Jay Bista, Saksham Jha.