This Player Set To Be Named Mumbai Captain After Ajinkya Rahane Steps Down: Report

Ajinkya Rahane on Thursday announced his decision to step down as Mumbai captain ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season. The 37-year-old batter took to social media to announce his decision to quit Mumbai captaincy. He explained his move by stating that it is the time the side grooms a new leader. Rahane added that he will continue to be a part of the team after relinquishing the captaincy duties. As per a report, Shardul Thakur will be leading Mumbai after Rahane.

The Mumbai selection committee talked to Rahane before the season to get his views on the future captaincy candidates, said The Indian Express report, which also claimed that Shardul will be the new Mumbai captain.

It is worth noting that Shardul will also be leading the West Zone in the upcoming Duleep Trophy. The competition, to be held from August 28 to September 15, will mark the start of the Indian domestic season 2025-26.

Talking about Rahane, he took to X on Thursday and wrote, "I believe it's the right time to groom a new leader. Captaining and winning championships with the Mumbai team has been an absolute honour. With a new domestic season ahead, I believe it's the right time to groom a new leader, and hence I've decided not to continue in the captaincy role.

"I remain fully committed to giving my best as a player and will continue my journey with @MumbaiCricAssoc to help us win more trophies. Looking forward to the season."

Under Rahane's captaincy, Mumbai won the Ranji Trophy in the 2023-24 season, ending a seven-year drought for the championship and made it to the semifinals of the Ranji Trophy last season, where they lost to Vidharbha by 90 runs. Under his leadership, Mumbai also won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last season, where he was the tournament's highest run-scorer and clinched the Irani Trophy in 2024-25.

Rahane is second in the list of all-time run-scorers for Mumbai in first-class with 5932 runs in 76 matches at an average of 52 between 2007 to 2025, only behind former India opener Wasim Jaffer (8,178 runs from 1997-2015). He has also scored 19 centuries for Mumbai in first-class cricket, second only to Jaffer's 29.

In his domestic career Rahane has so far played 201 first-class matches, 192 List A matches, and 284 T20 matches. During this time, he has scored 14,000 runs in 340 first-class innings at an average of 45.16, 6,853 runs in 187 List A innings at an average of 39.84, and 7,242 runs in 267 T20 innings at an average of 29.92.

(With agency inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

Cricket Ajinkya Rahane Shardul Thakur India Cricket Team