Shardul Thakur to miss third straight Ranji Trophy match for Mumbai
Shardul Thakur remains unavailable for a third consecutive Ranji Trophy match as he recovers from a finger fracture sustained before the season.
Shardul Thakur will miss Mumbai's third-round Ranji Trophy match against Haryana at the BKC Complex on Monday as he recovers from a right middle finger fracture. The all-rounder sustained the injury during a pre-season training session and has not regained full match fitness despite returning to training with the squad.
Mumbai will field the same XI that defeated Himachal Pradesh by an innings and 97 runs in Bilaspur. Thakur last played competitively in the Duleep Trophy quarter-final for West Zone in late August, where he took one wicket in 14 overs and scored 10 runs. He is expected to take up commentary duties for some of India's T20I matches against New Zealand during his recovery.
Mumbai lead Elite Group D with 14 points from two matches. Captain Siddhesh Lad has scored 173 runs at an average of 86.5, and Tushar Deshpande has taken 13 wickets. Vice-captain Ayush Mhatre is also sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Yashasvi Jaiswal is in New Zealand preparing for the Test series.
CricHubb Take
Mumbai's strong start without Thakur shows how deep their squad runs, but his absence through the early rounds leaves them short of a proven finisher with the bat and a reliable third seamer when conditions turn.