For Siddhesh Lad, the last six weeks have brought two milestones that have little to do with runs scored or wickets taken.
The birth of his son Shiva has been followed by the Mumbai captaincy, even as the senior batter continues to work his way back from an injury layoff.
Lad, who was Mumbai’s highest run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy last season, has been appointed the team’s captain for the forthcoming Ranji Trophy season, replacing Shardul Thakur. The change, according to chief selector Rajesh Pawar, is aimed at reducing the workload on Thakur, who remains an integral all-rounder in the side.
For Lad, who has previously led Mumbai as a stand-in captain in six matches, the opportunity to take charge for an entire season is a source of pride. “It’s a proud moment for me and the family. Having soaked in the Mumbai cricket culture and ethos, we all know how crucial the First-Class tradition is for Mumbai cricket. I have led Mumbai before but to be appointed as the full season’s captain is a matter of pride,” Lad told Sportstar on Tuesday
“A team like Mumbai — with so many senior players, be it internationals or India-A or IPL regulars — doesn’t really need to be captained. One just has to keep on reminding them about game situations at times,” he said. “I just hope that we can cross the winning barrier this time around, something that the team fell short of in the last two seasons.”
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His relationship with Thakur should ensure that the captaincy transition does not become a dividing line. Thakur is a protégé of Lad’s father Dinesh and has been an important sounding board for Siddhesh.
“Shardul has always been and will remain an integral part and a match-winner in this team. He is a leader by example and has always been my sounding board,” Lad said. “Our bond goes way beyond the designations and I am sure he will continue to be a bedrock of the team.”
Lad’s own immediate priority, however, is getting fit. His rehabilitation after a shoulder dislocation during T20 Mumbai final in June is progressing well and he hopes to be ready before Mumbai’s season-opener against Chandigarh.
“My rehab is well on-course. I hope to be ready to go well in time before the season-opener,” he said.
Mumbai’s league performances have rarely been the problem under head coach Omkar Salvi. It is in the knockouts, Lad feels, that the finer margins have eluded the team from adding to its 42 Ranji titles in the last two seasons.
“Since I have come back to the Mumbai fold, I have observed that Omkar has been immaculate with his planning and the team fared exceptionally in the league stages. It’s those crunch situations in a knockout game that have prevented us from crossing the line,” he said.
The prescription is typically Mumbai: be “situationally khadoos”.
“Small little things like showing a bowler some respect and batting a spell out or bowling smartly at times will help us a great deal,” Lad said.
Published on Sep 01, 2026
