Mumbai’s Shardul Thakur in action during Ranji Match between Mumbai and Chhattisgarh. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Shardul Thakur. File
| Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K

India’s Shardul Thakur on day two of the fourth test cricket match between India and England, at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground, in Manchester, Thursday, July 24, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI

India’s Shardul Thakur and Jasprit Bumrah with head coach Gautam Gambhir.
| Photo Credit: PTI

India all-rounder Shardul Thakur will play seven matches for County team Essex in Division One from the beginning of the 2025 season, the club announced on Tuesday. File photo
| Photo Credit: ATUL YADAV

India all-rounder Shardul Thakur will play seven matches for County team Essex in Division One from the beginning of the 2025 season, the club announced on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old Thakur, who has so far played 11 Tests, 47 ODIs and 25 T20Is over the last eight years, will be playing in the English country circuit for the first time.

Thakur has been in rich form both with the bat and the ball, having scored 51 and 119 for his second First-Class century last month against Jammu and Kashmir, followed by a brisk 84 against Meghalaya in the Ranji Trophy group stage.

Thakur also claimed a hat-trick in the match against Meghalaya, in a bid to prove his form and fitness for a national team comeback, with his last appearance being at the 2023 ODI World Cup.

“I am feeling excited to join Essex this summer. Personally it brings new challenges and opportunities to showcase my talent and skills. County cricket is something I always wanted to experience and I am glad that I’ll be representing the Eagles,” Thakur was quoted as saying by Essex on their website.

Essex’s director of cricket and former England and Sri Lanka coach Chris Silverwood said, “We were very clear amongst ourselves that a high quality quick bowler, with lower-order batting ability, was a key target for the Club this winter.

“In Shardul, we have signed just that, and we can’t wait to welcome him to Essex and see how he gets on in the County Championship,” he added.

Thakur, who was not picked by any of the Indian Premier League teams in the mega auction ahead of the 2025 season, would thus get ample game-time and exposure to conditions in England to prove his form and fitness ahead of India’s tour of England in June for five Tests.

Vidarbha’s Akshay Wadkar
| Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy

Mumbai has a legacy of a strong lower order bailing the team out, especially in big knockout games, right through the history of the Ranji Trophy. While Vidarbha captain Akshay Wadkar was cautious about the allrounders’ trio of Shams Mulani, Shardul Thakur and Tanush Kotian, his Mumbai counterpart hoped that the trio’s batting effort will not have to be relied upon too much in the Ranji semifinal.

“We are cautious about their lower order. That’s the strongest lower order among all the opponents we have faced so far. Not just the last year’s final, even in the last match (quarterfinal against Haryana), we saw the lower order bailing them out from 100 for seven to post 300 on the board,” Wadkar said here on Sunday. “A team with such a strong lower order is the most dangerous outift. We are aware of it and have planned accordingly.

While Shardul and Co. have stood tall in crisis, they have been put under severe duress due to the top six not performing to their potential. “It’s been happening frequently and our lower order has saved us 70-80 per cent of times. We have been discussing it,” Rahane said.

“Top order coming good always puts a team on top but no top order does it deliberately. It happens and as a team, we are trying to improve ourselves. There’s a collapse after a strong start at times but as a captain, I will take as long as the team puts up a total that’s adequate for a given pitch.”

Khaleel Ahmed gave Shardul Thakur a warm hug when they came across each other at the practice facility in the Bharat Ratna Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. Prithvi Shaw during his chat with Abhimanyu Easwaran proudly introduced the senior opener to “Virar boy” Ayush Mhatre. While Ajinkya Rahane and Ruturaj Gaikwad were involved in a candid chat with each other on either side of the customary captains’ briefing with match officials.

The camaraderie and the bonhomie between Mumbai and the Rest of India (RoI) squad members was natural and evident. Come Tuesday, however, and the competitive side of the individuals and the groups – something that didn’t come to the fore as much during the Duleep Trophy with a tweaked format – will be on display as the inter-state season will kind of kick off with the Z.R. Irani Cup tie.

The Duleep Trophy may have got the domestic First Class going but the sense of playing for the team’s cause will kick in from Tuesday as Mumbai try and regain the Irani Cup – not trophy, as it is loosely referred to – after almost three decades.

Beating a mighty Rest of India – with an ensemble of available stars in India – is considered to be the ultimate test for a Ranji champion side. It is the dream start to their Ranji title defence that Rahane and Co. can aspire for. Having last won the Irani tie way back in 1997-98, Rahane’s Mumbai will be keen on adding another silverware to its rich trophy cabinet.

But even Rahane will realise the task is easier said than done. If his side will be bolstered with the presence of Sarfaraz Khan – released from India’s Test squad on Monday evening – he will know that RoI will also have Yash Dayal and Dhruv Jurel at its disposal.

Their addition will mean additional selection woes for both the camps. It will be interesting to see if Mumbai hand debut to promising youngster Mhatre or Siddhesh Lad will don the Lion’s crest in a First Class match after four years.

Beyond the team make-up, bigger selection battles will be on display, with an eye on a plane to Australia. That Australia selection tussle could well work as perfect topping for what appears to be a clash poised to live up to its billing. 

The squads

Rest of India: Ruturaj Gaikwad (Capt.), Abhimanyu Easwaran (Vice-capt.), Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain, Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar, Yash Dayal, Ricky Bhui, Shashwat Rawat, Khaleel Ahmed, Rahul Chahar.

Mumbai: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Prithvi Shaw, Sarfaraz Khan, Ayush Mhatre, Shreyas Iyer, Siddhesh Lad, Suryansh Shedge, Hardik Tamore (wk), Siddhant Addhatrao (wk), Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Himanshu Singh, Shardul Thakur, Mohit Avasthi, Mohammad Juned Khan, Royston Dias.
Ends

Shardul Thakur
| Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

Shardul Thakur will make a comeback to competitive cricket for Mumbai having recovered from a foot surgery while Ishan Kishan has been selected as the second wicketkeeper in the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup tie, to be played in Lucknow from October 1.

Mumbai’s chief selection committee headed by former left-arm spinner Sanjay Patil on Tuesday announced a 16-member squad with four new faces. Later in the day, the national selection committee announced that Sarfaraz Khan may join as the 17^th member depending on how India’s second Test progresses in Kanpur.

The selectors have also named two of the current Test squad members – Yash Dayal and Dhruv Jurel, subject to their involvement in the Test – in the Rest of India squad, to be led by Maharashtra’s Ruturaj Gaikwad.

The only surprising inclusion in the Rest of India squad was that of Saransh Jain ahead of Washington Sundar. That the MP off-spinning allrounder was preferred also indicates that Washington will be a core member of the T20I series against Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Thakur – having completed his rehab at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru – and Shreyas Iyer – who had a mediocre outing with the willow in the Duleep Trophy – will be in limelight in the Mumbai squad, led by veteran Ajinkya Rahane. Prithvi Shaw too will make his maiden domestic season appearance after completing a one-day stint in Englnad.

The Mumbai selectors have handed a maiden call-up to youngsters Ayush Mhatre – a promising top-order batter, lanky offie Himanshu Singh and pacer Junaid Khan. The trio had had a fruitful Buchi Babu Trophy outing last month. Siddhesh Lad has earned a recall, having served a colling-off period after representing Goa for a season.

The squads

Mumbai: Ajinkya Rahane (Capt.), Prithvi Shaw, Ayush Mhatre, Musheer Khan, Shreyas Iyer, Siddhesh Lad, Suryansh Shedge, Hardik Tamore (wk), Siddhant Adhatrao (wk), Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Himanshu Singh, Shardul Thakur, Mohit Avasthi, Mohd. Junaid Khan, Royston Dias. 

Rest of India squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Abhimanyu Easwaran (VC), B. Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (WK)*, Ishan Kishan (WK), Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain, Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar, Yash Dayal*, Ricky Bhui, Shashwat Rawat, Khaleel Ahmed, Rahul Chahar.

 * Subject to them not being involved in the second Test match 

Ends 

Shardul Thakur celebrates a wicket on day 1 of the Ranji Trophy final against Vidarbha in Mumbai on March 10, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini

Seasoned duo Shreyas Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane’s run drought continued but Shardul Thakur’s all-rounder utility helped hosts Mumbai to claw their way back against a gutsy Vidarbha on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy final.

After scoring a counter-punching 75 off only 69 balls to give Mumbai’s below-par first innings score of 224, some semblance of respectability, Thakur also dismissed veteran opener Dhruv Shorey (0) with an angular delivery which got him a favourable DRS result.

Vidarbha were 31/3 at stumps with another 193 runs in arrears in the first innings with Atharva Taide (21 not out) and night-watchman Aditya Thakare at the crease.

Playing the last first-class game of his career, medium pacer Dhawal Kulkarni bowled his customary late outswingers which had Aman Mokhade (8) and Test triple centurion Karun Nair (0) nicking it to Hardik Tamore behind stumps.

Mumbai’s top guns Rahane and Iyer were both dismissed for identical scores of 7 in a shocking collapse that saw the 41-time champions slipping from 81/0 to 111/6 on either side of the lunch break.

His achievement as a leader notwithstanding, Rahane’s miserable run in the Ranji Trophy continued when the Mumbai skipper played one meekly to mid-on to be dismissed at a time when his team needed him to drop the anchor.

Around the same time last year, Rahane was a contender to earn his spot back in the national team but as things stand, irrespective of the outcome of this final it remains to be seen if Mumbai selectors would persist with the 35-year-old for the next season.

Out-of-favour and back in the grind to come back in the national reckoning again, Iyer once again failed to bail Mumbai out of trouble due to his poor technique.

During the morning session, Umesh Yadav (2/43 in 13.3 overs) was as wayward as one could be spraying the new ball all over and mostly drifting on the pads of openers Prithvi Shaw and Bhupen Lalwani.

But the pacer with 170 Test victims did get the prized scalp of Iyer to compound Mumbai’s problems during post lunch session.

Expecting a short ball, Iyer remained rooted to the crease and in double mind as the ball bounced a tad more than he anticipated. With no footwork, Iyer went on a fishing expedition and the resultant catch was taken by Karun in the slips.

It all began when pacer Yash Thakur found an outside edge off opener Bhupen Lalwani’s (37) bat to have Vidarbha skipper Akshay Wadkar taking a superb one-handed grab diving to his right.

Lalwani had done well to put on an impressive 81-run stand for the opening wicket with the burly Prithvi Shaw (46), who too was a tad reckless in his dismissal.

With spin being introduced as early as in the ninth over, Shaw went for the sweep quite a few times but never really executed it well.

On one such occasion he missed connecting one from left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey (3/62) on the middle stump completely as the ball turned away to hit the off.

India U-19 star Musheer Khan (6) carried his World Cup form into knock-out rounds but on the day, an indiscreet flick-shot off an arm ball caught him plumb in-front.

Having lost six wickets for a mere 40 runs, Mumbai also went through a phase in which no boundary was hit for as many as 18 overs.

But the complexion of the game changed drastically upon the arrival of Thakur in the middle, who hit a few fours to put the pressure back on Vidarbha and maintained the tone.

Thakur displayed adroit use of both hands and his feet to inch closer to what would have been his second consecutive ton, but kept running out of partners.

Thakur was the last batter dismissed, caught by the man at deep square leg after a superb 75 off just 69 balls with eight fours and three sixes.

The troika of Tanush Kotian (8), Tushar Deshpande (14) and Shams Mulani (13), which bailed Mumbai on numerous occasions with useful runs also fell cheaply.

Mumbai Ranji cricket players celebrate a wicket during the semifinal against Tamil Nadu in Mumbai on March 4, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini

Shardul Thakur shone brightly with his all-round performance as a clinical Mumbai thrashed Tamil Nadu by a massive innings and 70-run margin inside three days to enter the final of the Ranji Trophy, in Mumbai on March 4.

After his stunning 109 on the second day that handed Mumbai a big lead of 232 runs in the first innings, Thakur led Mumbai’s bowling attack to bundle TN out for 162 in the second essay.

Baba Indrajith (70) waged a lone battle for the visitors, who were determined to make it big in their first Ranji knockout game in seven years, but their batters failed to show up against the rampant Mumbai side.

Once again, TN lost their top-order without any contribution and the middle-order too crumbled against the pressure, though the pair of Indrajith and Pradosh Ranjan Paul put some resistance, stitching 73 runs for the fourth wicket.

The catalyst of Mumbai’s win was bowling all-rounder Thakur (109; 2/48 and 2/16), who dragged them back into the contest from a perilous state of 106/7 in the first innings to an overall lead of 232 runs with his maiden century across formats.

Thakur was all over TN with a two-wicket burst early on day three, helping Mumbai reduce the visitors to 10/3 in the second innings.

B Sai Sudharsan was given a reprieve by Shreyas Iyer at midwicket, spilling a sitter in his first over, but Thakur had the left-handed opener caught behind with a superb inswinger that took an inside edge.

Thakur swung the new ball dangerously and snaffled the key wicket of N Jagadeesan for a seven-ball duck.

Mohit Avasthi also tasted success when he had Washington Sundar, promoted at No. 3, caught behind.

With the top order blown away, recovery was a herculean task for TN but the pair of Indrajith and Pradosh Ranjan Paul did well to take the attack to the opposition and keep their side in the contest.

Indrajith was back in his usual elements, cracking nine fours to make 70 off 105 balls but his resistance ended after nicking one behind to wicket-keeper Tamore off Avasthi.

Mumbai spinners Tanush Kotian (2/18) and Shams Mulani (4/53) joined fellow pacers in piling up further misery on the TN batters, sharing the remaining six wickets to wrap up the win for the hosts.

But it was Kotian, who took the initiative with wickets of Pradosh (25) and R Sai Kishore (21) before tea, while left-arm spinner Mulani, who had no wickets to show so far, grabbed each of the final four to return with figures of 13.5-1-53-4.

Earlier in the day, Mumbai were bowled out for 378 with Sundar taking the final wicket to break the 10th-wicket stand between Tushar Deshpande (26) and Kotian (89 not out).

Brief scores:

Tamil Nadu 146 and 162 in 51.5 overs (Baba Indrajith 70; Shardul Thakur 2/16, Shams Mulani 4/53, Tanush Kotian 2/18) lost to Mumbai 378 in 106.5 overs (Musheer Khan 55, Shardul Thakur 109, Tanush Kotian 89*; R Sai Kishore 6/99) by an innings and 70 runs.