Focus on a fit-again Sarfaraz as Mumbai faces Jammu & Kashmir

When Mumbai and Jammu & Kashmir locked horns in a Ranji Trophy fixture in January this 12 months, Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal opened the batting for the 42-time champion. Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube and Shardul Thakur, all with nous on the highest stage, added additional heft to the Mumbai camp. Yet, the crew from India’s northernmost area, with no worldwide expertise in its enjoying eleven, upset the chances by clinching a five-wicket victory on the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy in Mumbai to assist its entry to the quarterfinals for simply the third time in its historical past.

The two groups will meet once more within the opening spherical of the brand new Ranji season in an Elite Group-D conflict right here from Wednesday.

Even although Mumbai went on to achieve the semifinals final season the place it misplaced to eventual champion Vidarbha, it has opted for a change of management at first of a recent marketing campaign. It underlines the truth that something lower than profitable the Ranji title is construed as a failure in Mumbai’s ultra-competitive ecosystem.

Shardul, who smashed 51 and 119 within the earlier encounter between these groups, has taken over the captaincy from Rahane. While Shreyas has pulled out of red-ball cricket for the following six months owing to again spasms, Mumbai’s 16-member squad for the primary sport nonetheless boasts a powerful look with Sarfaraz Khan and Dube included.

For Sarfaraz, who has recovered from a quadriceps damage, it is a likelihood to renew scoring a giant quantity of runs and press his case for a recall to India’s Test outfit.

Stern check

With temperatures beginning to dip within the north as winter approaches, Sarfaraz and the opposite Mumbai batters will face a stern check from a formidable pack of pacers that features Umran Malik, Aaqib Nabi, Yudhvir Singh and Umar Nazir.