Veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane has pulled out of Mumbai’s remaining league matches in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season due to personal reasons, in what is a major setback for the 41-time champions’ campaign. Mumbai are currently in a strong position on the points table, but losing their most experienced red-ball batter at a crucial stage will test their bench strength and leadership depth.

Mumbai’s upcoming Ranji schedule without Rahane

Mumbai still have two key league matches left in this Ranji Trophy season — against Hyderabad from January 22 to 25, followed by a home clash versus Delhi at the MCA-BKC ground from January 29 to February 1. Rahane has informed the Mumbai Cricket Association that he will not be available for these games, effectively ending his red-ball season with the team. This means Mumbai will have to reshuffle their batting order and depend on younger players and senior pros like captain Shardul Thakur to carry the extra responsibility.

Why Rahane’s absence is a big loss

Rahane stepped down from Mumbai captaincy before the start of the 2025-26 domestic season, saying he wanted to give a chance to a new leader and focus more on his batting. Shardul Thakur was then named captain of the side, but Rahane still remained the backbone of the batting unit and a guiding figure for the youngsters. His decision to miss the last two league matches now not only weakens the batting but also removes a calming, experienced presence in the dressing room during a crucial phase of the tournament.

Rahane’s golden run as Mumbai captain

Under Rahane’s captaincy, Mumbai ended their Ranji Trophy title drought in the 2023-24 season, lifting the trophy after seven long years. They followed it up with another strong red-ball campaign, reaching the semifinals in the subsequent season before losing to Vidarbha by 90 runs. Rahane’s leadership impact was not limited to Ranji Trophy alone. He led Mumbai to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title, where he also finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer, and guided them to an Irani Cup triumph in the 2024-25 season. His results made him one of the most successful modern-day leaders in Mumbai’s domestic history.

A giant in Mumbai’s first-class history

Rahane’s numbers for Mumbai in first-class cricket underline his status as one of the strongest domestic batters of his generation. He is second on the all-time run-scoring charts for Mumbai, with 6,141 runs in 80 first-class matches at an outstanding average of 57.18, behind only Wasim Jaffer’s 8,178 runs. He has hit 19 centuries for Mumbai in the format, again second to Jaffer’s 29 hundreds. These figures show how consistently he has delivered for the team over nearly two decades, often standing up in pressure situations and big knockout games.

Rahane’s overall domestic career

Beyond Mumbai, Rahane’s domestic career across formats is vast and highly accomplished. In first-class cricket, he has played 205 matches, scoring 14,209 runs in 346 innings at an average of 44.96, a tally built on years of hard work in Indian domestic cricket and overseas red-ball leagues. In List A cricket, he has 6,853 runs from 187 innings at an average of 39.84, while in the shortest format, he has scored 7,242 runs in 267 T20 innings at 29.92. These numbers show not just his quality but also his longevity and adaptability across formats.

What it means for Mumbai’s Ranji campaign

With Rahane unavailable, Mumbai will look to their younger batters to step up in these last two league games, especially with knockouts in sight. Shardul Thakur’s role as captain becomes even more important now, both with bat and ball. Mumbai’s strong domestic structure and history of producing big-match players will be tested again, but Rahane’s absence will definitely be felt — on the field, in the dressing room, and in the scorebook. If Mumbai still manage to push deep into the tournament, it will be a sign of how well the next generation has absorbed the standards set by seniors like Rahane.