Ranji Trophy: Shivam Dube ruled out of Mumbai’s season opener

Shivam Dube has been withdrawn from Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy 2025-26 squad on the eve of their season opener against Jammu & Kashmir due to stiffness in the back. The all-rounder flew home to Mumbai from Srinagar on Tuesday evening.

The decision is believed to be a precautionary measure, given he’s also part of India’s T20I squad that is set to leave for Australia on October 23 for a five-match series. Dube made a splash in the 2025 Asia Cup, where India captain Suryakumar Yadav regularly summoned him to bowl. In the final against Pakistan, he contributed with both the skillsets. Employed as a new-ball option in Hardik Pandya’s absence, he bowled three economical overs and later scored an important 22-ball 33 as India sealed a tense chase.

While Dube will have to wait until after the Australia tour for a Ranji return, Mumbai will welcome back all-rounder Musheer Khan into the fold. The wunderkind had missed the previous season due to a neck and collar-bone injury he suffered during a road accident.

Also back from the treatment table is his elder brother, Sarfaraz Khan, who was ruled out of contention for the just-completed Test series against West Indies due to a quadriceps injury.

Mumbai will be captained by India all-rounder Shardul Thakur, who takes over the reins from Ajinkya Rahane, who is set to continue playing.

Rahane has been training for the season from July onwards. In fact, he mentioned on a Sky Sports podcast that he’d even carried his trainers and kit to the UK – while on a media assignment during India’s Test tour – to be able to hone his skills for the upcoming season.

Mumbai are in Group D alongside J&K, Hyderabad, Delhi, Puducherry, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The opening round of the new season against Jammu & Kashmir has been billed as a rematch of last season’s group fixture, which Mumbai ended up losing by five wickets at the Bandra Kurla Complex ground.