Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Siraj-led Hyderabad to take on Mumbai

Hyderabad will lock horns with heavyweight Mumbai in an all-important Ranji Trophy encounter at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, starting on Thursday.

The home side will be bolstered by the presence of star pacer Mohammed Siraj, who returns from international duty to make his first Ranji Trophy appearance of the season. Siraj will also captain Hyderabad for the first time in his career, with G. Rahul Singh named his deputy.

However, Hyderabad will be without key batters Tanmay Agarwal and K. Nitesh Reddy, both sidelined due to injuries. Pranav Varma and P. Nitish Reddy have been drafted into the squad as replacements.

Mumbai, meanwhile, will be missing several high-profile names, including Shardul Thakur, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shivam Dube. Ajinkya Rahane, who relinquished captaincy earlier this season, is also unavailable for the fixture.

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The 42-time champion has further been dealt a blow with the absence of Tanush Kotian, the Player of the Tournament in Mumbai’s triumphant 2023-24 Ranji Trophy campaign. The all-rounder has been ruled out with a hand injury, with off-spinner Himanshu Singh named as his replacement.

Mixed fortunes

Mumbai sits atop Group D with 24 points from five matches, courtesy of three wins and two draws. Hyderabad stands fourth with 13 points, following one win, one loss, and three draws.

The home side’s campaign has been topsy-turvy so far. After morale-sapping draws with Delhi and Puducherry, it registered an impressive four-wicket away victory over Himachal Pradesh, powered by Abhirath Reddy’s unbeaten 175 (200 balls, 19×4, 3×6) on the final day.

A frustrating home draw against Rajasthan followed, before Abid Mushtaq’s seven-wicket haul for Jammu & Kashmir slapped Hyderabad with a heavy 281-run defeat.

Mumbai, by contrast, has enjoyed a largely dominant season. It opened with a narrow 35-run victory before settling for draws against Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Emphatic wins over Himachal Pradesh (innings and 120 runs) and Puducherry (innings and 222 runs) since then have reaffirmed the domestic powerhouse’s credentials.

Siddhesh Lad, with 530 runs at an average of 88.33, and Shams Mulani, who has claimed 28 wickets at 21.10, have been Mumbai’s standout performers and will once again be central to their push for a knockout berth. For Hyderabad, Rahul Radesh (382 runs) and Tanay Thyagarajan (23 wickets) have been the leading contributors.

With a green top expected for the fixture, Hyderabad will hope talisman Siraj can tilt the balance against a formidable Mumbai side as it looks to revive its campaign.

Published on Jan 21, 2026