Injury Blow: Shardul Thakur to Miss Mumbai vs Haryana Clash
Shardul Thakur continues to recover from a finger injury and will miss Mumbai's Ranji Trophy clash against Haryana.
Mumbai's hopes of welcoming back their star all-rounder Shardul Thakur for the third round of the Ranji Trophy have been dashed. Thakur is set to miss the upcoming encounter against Haryana at the BKC complex, starting this Monday, as he continues his struggle to recover from a persistent injury.
The Injury That Sidelined the Star
The all-rounder's absence is not a new development, as he has already sat out the first two rounds of the tournament. The setback occurred during a training session prior to the opening round, where Thakur suffered a fracture to his right middle finger.
While initial medical assessments suggested he would be out for at least two matches, the Mumbai camp had remained optimistic that he would be declared match-fit in time for the third game. However, that clearance has yet to arrive, leaving the team without one of its most potent weapons.
Staying Active Off the Field
Despite the injury, Thakur has not been idle. He has been training consistently with the squad to maintain his fitness. In a lighter moment, he was spotted alongside teammate Suryakumar Yadav at a Major League Baseball event in Mumbai on Saturday evening.
Furthermore, Thakur is set to pivot from playing to analyzing; he will take up commentary duties for select T20Is during India's current series against New Zealand.
A Struggling Squad but Strong Standing
Mumbai is currently navigating a difficult period with several key players unavailable. The team is dealing with an injury-hit roster, including newly appointed vice-captain Ayush Mhatre, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury. Additionally, Yashasvi Jaiswal is away in New Zealand for Test matches following the 'A' series.
To plug these gaps, Mumbai added opening batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi and all-rounder Suryansh Shedge as reinforcements before the second round. For the clash against Haryana, Mumbai has decided to retain the same squad that secured a bonus-point victory over Himachal Pradesh in Bilaspur.
Recent Form and Group Standing
Thakur's last competitive appearance was in late August during the Duleep Trophy quarter-final for West Zone against North Zone. It was a quiet outing for the all-rounder, who managed one wicket from 14 overs and scored 10 runs in his first innings. In the second innings, he remained unbeaten on zero without facing a single delivery before North Zone won by 54 runs.
Despite the missing stars, Mumbai remains a force to be reckoned with, currently sitting at the top of Elite Group D with 14 points.