Mumbai is in another Ranji Trophy semifinal. The result isn’t shocking. The state has won the premier red-ball tournament 42 times, and all the other states combined have won it 47 times. A big reason Mumbai has reached another semifinal is due to stellar performances from the likes of Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur.
Both have been discarded by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Shardul hasn’t played in over 13 months, and although he’s known to stand up tall when required with both bat and ball, his overall returns haven’t been great. His absence from the Test team has forced him to upskill himself in both departments.
Shardul Thakur’s incredible Ranji Trophy season
In 8 matches in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25, Shardul has hit one hundred and three fifties in 10 innings. In the bowling department, he’s got 33 wickets in 16 innings. For Mumbai, Shardul has been a proper batter and bowler throughout the season. A big reason for the uptick in his performance is due to a major disappointment at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction.
Since that snub, Shardul has been on a tear. In the second leg of the Ranji Trophy, he’s gotten 275 runs at 55 and gotten 19 scalps, which include two four-wicket hauls and one six-wicket haul. That 6-fer came against Haryana in the quarterfinal, which makes it even better. The all-rounder still believes that he’s very much in contention for India’s Test tour of England.
Nitish Kumar Reddy has done well with the bat, no doubt, but doesn’t offer much with the ball, at least right now. In foreign conditions, especially in England, Shardul can be great as a third/fourth pacer. He’s got good memories in England as well. His inclusion has previously and can once again fill the hole Hardik Pandya left.
Shardul Thakur’s stats in Ranji Trophy 2024-25
| Matches | Runs | Batting Average | Wickets | Bowling Average | Bowling Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 402 | 40.20 | 33 | 19.96 | 36.60 |
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Ajinkya Rahane’s experience needed in England?
As for Rahane, his overall record hasn’t been that great in the Ranji Trophy. But he’s also been exceptional in the second leg. His three scores so far are 96, 31, and 108. That is his sole hundred in the Ranji Trophy this season, but it came in the quarterfinal against Haryana.
The call for his exclusion would be based on how the Indian middle order has performed, especially overseas. We still don’t know whether Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will play against England. Cheteshwar Pujara is already out as well. You need experienced batters in such conditions, and Rahane might be the best bet.
Rahane has good County Championship experience, and in his last Test match for India in England, he was the top scorer (89 and 46). That game was the World Test Championship Final in 2023. Granted that youth isn’t on Rahane’s side and his performance could have been slightly better, but BCCI can trust him, given that KL Rahul could be India’s most experienced batter come June.
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