Yashasvi Jaiswal’s return to Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy set-up for Sunday’s season-opener against Chandigarh may offer the India Test opening batter more than just another opportunity to get red-ball game-time.

The 24-year-old has also been trying his hand at wicketkeeping, according to Mumbai captain Siddhesh Lad, with images of Jaiswal donning the big gloves during the team’s preparations at the Wankhede Stadium having surfaced online. “He is trying hard to start keeping wickets. That’s what I heard from him. He wants to keep wickets for Mumbai or for the Indian team [in the future]. That is what he is aiming for,” Lad said on Thursday.

Jaiswal’s experiment with the gloves adds another dimension to a player who, during his formative years, bowled occasional leg-spin. While batting has remained his overwhelming strength, he has bowled six overs in international cricket.

For Mumbai, however, his “value” remains that of an experienced top-order batter. Jaiswal is expected to play only the first Ranji fixture before travelling to New Zealand, where he will turn out for India-A in three four-day matches against NZ-A ahead of the Test series.

Lad said Jaiswal had made his availability known to the Mumbai selectors even before the team approached him. “I met Yashasvi, and he looks to be in a great place right now. We are very happy to have him. He is available just for the first game if I am not wrong.

“But someone like Yashasvi doesn’t only add to the performances, he adds value to the team with his experience. He told the selection committee that he wanted to come and play for Mumbai even before we asked him.”

Jaiswal’s commitment to Mumbai has assumed greater significance since he reversed his decision to leave the association for Goa in April 2025. He has subsequently been more involved in the team’s affairs, making himself available whenever not on international duty.

The BMC has collected around 934 metric tonnes of nirmalya during this year’s Ganeshotsav, while a post-immersion clean-up at Juhu beach on Saturday (September 26, 2026) cleared another 34 tonnes of waste.

The civic body’s Solid Waste Management Department had deployed 613 nirmalya (religious offerings) collection containers and 838 vehicles at immersion sites across Mumbai to separately collect floral and other religious offerings generated during the festival.

Following the final Ganesh idol immersions on Anant Chaturdashi on Friday (September 25, 2026), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) also undertook an extensive clean-up operation along immersion routes, roads and other public spaces across the city.

Around 10,000 additional sanitation workers, along with cleaning machinery, were deployed for the operation, according to the civic body.

At Juhu beach, around 34 tonnes of waste were collected early on Saturday (September 26, 2026) as part of the ‘Sea, Shore, Shine-2026’ clean-up campaign, organised jointly by the Divyaj Foundation, BMC, Mumbai Police and MeghaShrey. School students, volunteers, representatives of NGOs and citizens participated in the drive.

The Juhu operation was among the clean-up efforts undertaken following the conclusion of Ganeshotsav, during which large crowds and immersion processions converge on Mumbai’s beaches and other immersion sites.

The BMC is also separately processing nirmalya collected after the immersions instead of disposing of all the material as waste.

At Juhu beach, the civic body and Dr Nanasaheb Dharmadhikari Pratishthan are segregating flowers from the collected nirmalya. The flowers will be processed to produce incense sticks and other usable products, the civic body said. Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide visited the collection and processing operation on Saturday (Septembmer 26, 2026).

Ms. Bhide said Mumbai’s sea and coastline are important natural assets and urged citizens to avoid dumping plastic and other waste on beaches and in public places, even after the festival.

The post-immersion measures are also supported by the BMC’s ‘One Ganpati, One Tree’ initiative, under which the civic body plans to plant as many trees as Ganesh idols are immersed in Mumbai this year. The initiative is aimed at linking Ganeshotsav with longer-term tree plantation and conservation efforts.

As part of the initiative, Mayor Ritu Tawde planted tulsi and sunflower saplings at the Mayor’s residence in Byculla on Saturday (September 25, 2026) using clay and water left after immersing a shadu-clay Ganesh idol. She appealed to residents, housing societies, and Ganesh mandals to similarly reuse clay from eco-friendly idols for planting and nurturing saplings.

Meanwhile, the Juhu clean-up was attended by Divyaj Foundation founder Amruta Fadnavis, actor Ajay Devgn, State Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, MLAs Amit Satam and Ram Kadam, BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and other civic officials and volunteers.

Ms. Fadnavis said maintaining cleanliness after festivals required collective participation, while Devgn urged citizens to treat keeping their city clean with the same responsibility with which they maintain their homes.

Three persons were killed and one was critically injured after a speeding BMW crashed on the Coastal Road in Mumbai early on Sunday (September 20, 2026), police said.

The incident occurred at 5:20 a.m. when the luxury car was moving at a high speed from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali.

The car driver lost control of the wheels near Lotus Jetty, opposite Lala Lajpatrai College, according to the Coastal Road Control Room.

All four occupants of the car were immediately rushed to the nearby civic-run Nair Hospital, where three of them were declared dead. Two of the deceased have been identified as Shanay Gajjal (21) and Dhirya Seth (17). Another male victim, believed to be aged around 25, was yet to be identified, an official said.

Also read: At least two dead, eight injured in Navi Mumbai car accident

The fourth occupant, an unidentified male aged around 20, sustained severe injuries and is currently admitted in a critical condition in the hospital’s trauma ward, the official said.

Police have launched an inquiry into the incident.

The Mumbai Coastal Road is a 10.58-km high-speed freeway connecting Marine Drive in south Mumbai to the Worli end of the Bandra–Worli Sea Link.

A 28-year-old man was arrested on August 19, 2026, for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in Powai by posing as a transperson and entering her paying guest (PG) house on the pretext of warding off the evil eye.

According to the police, the accused, Anil Sheshrao Shinde, would allegedly dress in a sari in his spare time and approach people posing as a transgender person. He would claim to know special rituals that could solve people’s problems or fulfil their wishes.

A case was registered at the Powai Police Station on August 18, 2026, under Sections 64(1) and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The police said that this woman, an airhostess, would occasionally stay at this paying guest house. According to the Investigating Officer Ramchandra Pinjarkar, her husband, who worked in Varanasi, had dengue and was admitted in the hospital.

“Shinde came to the PG in the pretense of being a transgender person who can rid the owner of the PG, an old woman aged 75, of her evil eye. After that, he entered the woman’s bedroom and offered to ward off the evil eye that was causing her problems. He closed the door, asked her to lay down on the bed and touched her inappropriately. When she resisted, he threatened to harm her and then sexually assaulted her. After that he took ₹300 saying the evil eye was warded off,” Mr. Pinjarkar said.

Mr. Shinde was later seen fleeing in an auto. The police tracked CCTV footage and other resources to trace him to a slum area in Kalwa, Thane, where he was arrested.

Mr. Shinde is married, and has a son. A local court has remanded him to police custody until August 24, 2026.

Billed as a family affair, with Sarfaraz Khan leading Aakash Tigers Mumbai Western Suburbs against younger brother Musheer Khan’s ARCS Andheri, left-arm pacer Ankur Singh stole the spotlight as Tigers kept their qualification hopes alive with a thrilling seven-run victory in a T20 Mumbai cricket league match on Sunday (June 7, 2026).

For long periods of the chase, ARCS Andheri appeared firmly in control. Powered by Prasad Pawar’s composed half-century (54, 39b, 3×4, 2×6), the Andheri outfit looked set to chase down 172 comfortably.

With Pawar and captain Shivam Dube at the crease, Andheri required 47 runs from the last five overs and seemed to have momentum firmly on its side.

The turnaround began when Dube attempted to take on Ankur. After being struck for a four and a six in the 16th over, the left-arm pacer had the last laugh, forcing Dube to top-edge towards third man where Akash Anand completed a running catch.

Even then with 16 needed from the final two overs with four wickets intact, the equation favoured the chasing side. But left-arm spinner Vinayak Bhoir swung the momentum decisively when he removed the well-set Pawar, whose attempted reverse sweep proved costly.

That left Ankur with 10 runs to defend in the final over. The pacer held his nerve brilliantly, dismissing two lower-order batters while refusing to concede a boundary before the last batter was run out off the final delivery to seal a dramatic win for Tigers.

While the men’s competition delivered late drama, the morning fixture in the T20 Women’s League proved a lop-sided affair as SoBo Mumbai Falcons maintained its unbeaten start with a comfortable 39-run victory against Aakash Tigers.

The scores: Aakash Tigers MWS 171/6 in 20 overs (Ajit Yadav 55, Jay Bista 35, Ajay Mishra 2/18) bt ARCS Andheri 164 in 20 overs (Prasad Pawar 54, Ayush Jethwa 36, Ankur Singh 4/39, Shams Mulani 2/30).

Triumph Knights MNE 147/8 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 48, Nutan Goel 34, Prathamesh Dake 4/30) lost to SoBo Mumbai Falcons 149/5 in 16.4 overs (Shreyas Iyer 61).

Women’s League: SoBo Mumbai Falcons 143/7 in 20 overs (Sarika Koli 49, Simran Shaikh 38, Fatima Jaffar 3/20) bt Aakash Tigers MWS 104 in 18.2 overs (Sanika Chalke 42, Swara Jadhav 2/12, Sayali Satghare 2/21, Nirmiti Rane 2/21).

Suved Parkar produced a captain’s innings, equalling the highest individual score in T20 Mumbai history with a scintillating 110 (54b, 10×4, 7×6). Yet, even that wasn’t enough as North Mumbai Panthers scripted another extraordinary chase before holding its nerve in a dramatic Super Over to register a second successive victory against Bandra Blasters.

Chasing a daunting 229 at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday, Panthers once again found inspiration through opener Hardik Tamore, whose second consecutive half-century — 83 (39b, 10×4, 4×6) — ensured the chase never drifted away. His 67-run partnership with Abhigyan Kundu, who contributed 39 (24b, 3×4, 1×6), kept Panthers firmly in contention through the middle overs.

Tanush Kotian then played the finishing act to perfection with 32 n.o. (14b, 2×4, 2×6), while Vaibhav Mali unleashed 32 (14b, 2×4, 2×6) as Panthers remarkably drew level at 228.

Even after Mali’s dismissal in the penultimate over, the chase remained alive courtesy left-arm spinner Rahul Sawant, whose consecutive pull shots — a boundary and a six off Royston Dias — shifted momentum dramatically.

Needing 14 off the final four deliveries, Kotian responded with characteristic composure, reducing the equation to three off the final ball. When Dhanit Raut’s last delivery was driven over covers for a couple, the game headed into a Super Over.

Mali once again turned aggressor, taking on Atif Attarwala’s left-arm pace with two sixes and a boundary to set a challenging target. Seasoned seamer Mohit Avasthi then produced a near-flawless Super Over, sealing a memorable victory for the Ajinkya Rahane-led Panthers.

Earlier in the afternoon, Parkar’s conventional strokemaking set Blasters on course for a a gargantuan total. But once he perished in the 15th over after scoring 110 — the same as Jay Bista in 2019, the Blasters couldn’t pile on 250. Those last five overs, in the end, turned out to be the difference.

The scores: Bandra Blasters 228/5 in 20 overs (Suved Parkar 110, Prateek Ravishankar 33, Pratik Mishra 3/38) tied with North Mumbai Panthers 228/8 in 20 overs (Hardik Tamore 83, Abhigyan Kundu 39, Tanush Kotian 32 n.o., Vaibhav Mali 32, Sagar Chhabria 3/9, Dhrumil Matkar 3/32).

Super Over: North Mumbai Panthers 20/1 bt Bandra Blasters 7 for no loss.

SoBo Mumbai Falcons 126 in 18.2 overs (Aditya Tare 59, Shivam Dube 3/17, Ajay Mishra 3/27, Deepak Shetty 2/32) lost to ARCS Andheri 127/5 in 14 overs (Divyaansh Saxena 50).

Women’s League: Aakash Tigers Mumbai Western Suburbs 113/9 in 20 overs (Sayali Satghare 4/29, Swara Jadhav 3/19) lost to SoBo Mumbai Falcons 117/3 in 15.5 overs (Sarika Koli 33 n.o., Sayali Satghare 30 n.o.).

The road to the IPL 2026 playoffs may seem distant for Lucknow Super Giants, which sits at the bottom of the table.

However, bowling coach Bharat Arun believes all is not lost yet. “There is light at the end of the tunnel. For us, there’s no other way. Every game is a knockout for us right from here,” Arun said.

It has traditionally been one of the most keenly awaited fixtures in the domestic cricket calendar. Old-timers still reminisce about the fierce rivalry between Mumbai (erstwhile Bombay) and Delhi in the Ranji Trophy. When the marquee clash returns on Thursday after a three-year gap, it is likely to be one of the most subdued encounters between the two sides.

Mumbai, the more consistent outfit this season, has already secured qualification for the quarterfinals from Group D. Delhi, on the other hand, is out of contention after a season marked by constant chopping and changing in selection.

With little at stake from a team perspective, Delhi had hoped that Ayush Badoni — recently called up to India’s ODI squad — and Priyansh Arya, one of the finds of IPL 2025, would rekindle memories of the old rivalry by posing a stiff challenge to the in-form host.

Those plans were scuppered on Wednesday morning when the national selectors informed the Delhi team management that both Badoni and Arya had been included in India A’s squad for warm-up matches ahead of the T20 World Cup, forcing their withdrawal from the Ranji fixture.

As a result, Ayush Doseja, Delhi’s leading run-scorer in his maiden Ranji season, has been handed the captaincy. While Doseja struck a defiant note by insisting that “there are no stalwarts once you enter the field”, even he would be aware of the enormity of the task facing Delhi over the next four days at the MCA’s Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy ground.

Mulani is back

Mumbai, meanwhile, will view the match as an opportunity to fine-tune combinations ahead of the knockouts. The return of Shams Mulani, who missed last week’s game in Hyderabad due to a bladder infection, and Sarfaraz Khan’s rediscovered run-scoring touch augur well for the hosts. With Tanush Kotian and Shardul Thakur still sidelined with shoulder and groin injuries respectively, stand-in captain Siddhesh Lad may also use the occasion to test the bench strength.

While the contest may lack the edge of yesteryear, Mumbai and Delhi’s storied rivalry ensures that there is still pride at stake.