Mumbai have opted for a change in leadership, with experienced batter Siddhesh Lad set to replace Shardul Thakur as the team’s captain in the Ranji Trophy season.
The move results from Thakur’s workload and allows Mumbai to get the best out of him as their premier red-ball bowling option.
Thakur, who took over the captaincy from Ajinkya Rahane before the 2025-26 season, will continue to remain an important part of Mumbai’s plans. Besides his bowling responsibilities, the 34-year-old has repeatedly delivered valuable runs in pressure situations, making his availability and fitness particularly important for the side.
Lad’s appointment comes after an impressive Ranji Trophy campaign with the bat last season. The 34-year-old accumulated 774 runs from eight matches at an outstanding average of 77.40, including five centuries and a fifty. His consistency, coupled with his calm temperament, has made him a natural choice to take charge of the red-ball side.
It will be the second successive season in which Mumbai begin their Ranji Trophy campaign under a new captain. Rahane, who retired from all formats in July, had previously led Mumbai to their record-extending 42nd Ranji Trophy title in 2023-24, when they defeated Vidarbha in the final.
For the white-ball competitions, Mumbai have two high-profile leadership candidates in Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav. Their respective availability will determine who takes charge during the season.
“We have both Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav as the choice for white-ball captaincy, but it depends on their availability,” a senior official from the MCA was quoted as saying by PTI.
Iyer brings recent domestic success as a captain, having guided Mumbai to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title in 2024-25. Suryakumar, meanwhile, has significant leadership experience and previously captained India in T20Is.
Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy campaign begins on October 11 against Chandigarh in Elite Group D. Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Railways, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand are the other teams in their group.