Mumbai Ranji FC face a huge blow ahead of the next round of Ranji Trophy 2024-25. According to a report in The Times of India, fast bowler Tushar Deshpande has decided on the team’s next match against J&K and the league phase of the prestigious tournament.
Reports suggest that Tushar Deshpande is still recovering from ankle surgery. His recovery is expected to take some time and it is understood that he will be available to play in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy semi-finals if Mumbai advance.
Tushar Deshpande misses 2024-25 Ranji Trophy first round match
Deshpande missed the first round of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy. He is expected to return to action and return to Mumbai for the second half of the Ranji Trophy season.
But that was not to be, as he would also miss the next round due to a late recovery. This could be a huge blow to Mumbai in the tournament, especially considering his performance for the team in the Ranji Trophy last season.
Also..Mumbai pacer Tushar Deshpande will take time to recover from injury..so he will miss Ranji match against J&K on January 23 at BKC..as well as Ranji The entire league stage of the trophy.. He can only play if Mumbai reaches the semi-finals, Ranji T! #RanjiTrophy https://t.co/wrM8xyZflA
— Gaurav Gupta (@toi_gauravG) January 14, 2025
Tushar Deshpande played a key role in Mumbai’s campaign in the last Ranji Trophy. The right-arm pacer took 15 wickets in 5 games to help the Ajinkya Rahane-led side win a record 43rd title in the history of the tournament.
Tentatively, he is expected to be available in mid-February, in time for the Ranji Trophy semi-finals – Source: Tushar Deshpande
Sources close to the development said Tushar Deshpande is tentatively scheduled to recover by mid-February. He stressed that if Mumbai reaches the semi-finals, then fast bowlers will be available. In an interview with the Times of India, he said:
“Tushar is recovering at NCA Bangalore. It will take some time for him to recover. It is tentatively expected that he will be available in mid-February, in time for the Ranji Trophy semi-finals, and Deshpande will be available from then on. “
Sarfaraz Khan to miss J&K match, Yashasvi Jaiswal to feature, speculation on Rohit Sharma’s availability
Mumbai will be without two key players in the upcoming match against Jammu and Kashmir in Tushar Deshpande and Sarfaraz Khan. The batsman suffered a minor rib fracture and will miss the January 23 match at the Mumbai Cricket Association’s BKC Stadium.
But in a major boost for Mumbai, Indian national cricket team opener Yashasvi Jaiswal also confirmed his availability against Jammu and Kashmir. The batsman will soon join the team after a fantastic tour of Australia.
On the other hand, India captain Rohit Sharma has also been training with the Mumbai Ranji team. There is speculation that he may also participate in this game. As of now, it’s unclear, but he hit for about 45 minutes in a simulated game on Tuesday.