Pujara to Play Ranji Trophy 2025-26, Rahane Steps Down as Mumbai Captain

In a significant development for Indian domestic cricket, two of India’s most seasoned Test cricketers—Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara—will both feature in the upcoming Ranji Trophy season, though in very different capacities.

Rahane, 37, has stepped down as captain of the Mumbai Ranji team, signalling the need for a leadership transition. Meanwhile, Pujara, also 37, has confirmed his availability for Saurashtra, providing a major boost to the 2022-23 champions.

On Thursday, Rahane announced via a social media post that he would no longer lead Mumbai in the domestic circuit but would continue playing as a senior member of the squad.

"Captaining and winning championships with the Mumbai team has been an absolute honour," Rahane wrote. "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 Mumbai cricket to help us win more trophies. Looking forward to the season."

Rahane has led Mumbai in 70 matches across formats over an 18-year domestic career, including 25 First-Class games, 19 List A matches, and 26 T20s. Under his captaincy, Mumbai clinched their 42nd Ranji Trophy title in the 2023–24 season. He also led the side to a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy win in 2022–23 and was named Player of the Tournament in the 2024 edition under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, scoring 469 runs at a strike rate of 164.56.

Internationally, Rahane has captained India in six Tests, three ODIs, and two T20Is, most notably leading India to historic Test wins at the MCG and Gabba during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar series in Australia.

On the same day Rahane stepped down, a senior official from the Saurashtra Cricket Association confirmed that Pujara would be available for the upcoming Ranji season.

"He has signalled his readiness to play in the upcoming Ranji season. It is, of course, good news for us as his experience will be a big advantage for the team," the official told Cricbuzz.

Pujara last represented India in the World Test Championship final in June 2023 and has since focused solely on red-ball cricket for Saurashtra. In the 2024–25 Ranji season, he scored 402 runs in seven matches at an average of 40.2, including a century and a fifty, as Saurashtra exited in the quarterfinals against Gujarat.

Though recently left out of the Duleep Trophy by West Zone selectors in favour of youth, Saurashtra remains keen to benefit from Pujara’s wealth of experience. They open their Ranji campaign on October 15 against Karnataka.

With both veterans set to play pivotal roles in the domestic season, their presence is expected to not only strengthen their respective sides but also offer invaluable mentorship to younger players aiming for higher honours.