Mumbai vs Jammu and Kashmir, Ranji Trophy Highlights: Ravindra Jadeja claims five-wicket haul; Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant fail to impress

The much-anticipated return of India's cricketing stars to the Ranji Trophy turned out to be underwhelming, with Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Shubman Gill failing to make an impact on Thursday. The trio fell cheaply on the opening day of their respective matches, undone by some impressive bowling performances across various venues. Among the Indian stalwarts, only Ravindra Jadeja stood out, claiming a five-wicket haul for Saurashtra to bundle out Pant's Delhi for 188 on a turning track in Rajkot.

For the rest, it was a forgettable outing as they trudged back to the pavilion after early dismissals.

Rohit, making his return to Ranji cricket for defending champions Mumbai after a decade, was looking to regain form ahead of next month's Champions Trophy. However, his comeback was short-lived as he managed just three runs in Mumbai's first innings against Jammu and Kashmir at the BKC ground. Attempting a pull shot off Umar Nazir, Rohit ended up miscuing it, giving J&K skipper Paras Dogra an easy catch at mid-off.

His opening partner, Yashasvi Jaiswal (4), also departed early, trapped leg-before by Auqib Nabi, who exploited the fresh pitch conditions to extract movement with the new ball.

Shreyas Iyer, another key member of the Champions Trophy squad, couldn't fare much better, scoring 11 before being caught at mid-on off Yudhvir Singh’s bowling.

While the on-field action featuring these stars had raised expectations, the turnout at the BKC ground was modest. Although the Mumbai Cricket Association had arranged temporary seating for around 500 spectators, empty chairs dotted the venue. Even the curious onlookers watching from nearby office buildings lost interest after Rohit’s dismissal.

Mumbai’s innings ended in disarray as the team was skittled out for a mere 120 in 33.2 overs. Notably, the side left out their in-form 17-year-old opener Ayush Mhatre to make room for the returning stars. Mhatre has been in scintillating form this season, scoring two centuries and a half-century, including a 93-ball 148 in Mumbai's recent win against Saurashtra.

This Ranji match is likely to be the only one for Rohit, Jaiswal, and Iyer this season, as they are expected to join the Indian team for the upcoming ODI series against England early next month.

WICKET! Mumbai are fighting back. Shams Mulani ends dangerous Shubham Khajuria for 53 runs. Brilliant delivery from Mulani. A big wicket for Mumbai at the moment.

J&K 113/4 vs MUMBAI

Star allrounder Ravindra Jadeja is in the middle now. He comes and gives a fist pump to Harvik Desai. Saurashtra need a big stand between the two batters.

SAURASHTRA 85/3 vs DELHI

FIFTY! Harvik Desai brings up his half century. He is batting brilliantly despite three quick wickets. Saurashtra need a big knock from him today.

WICKET! Delhi captain Ayush Badoni gets the big fish. Cheteshwar Pujara falls for 6 runs. Big big wicket for Delhi at this moment. Sheldon Jackson joins Desai in the middle.

SAURASHTRA 63/2 vs DELHI

FIFTY! Urvil Patel brings up his half century. Superb knock from the Gujarat's in-form batter. He has hit four boundaries and three sixes in his innings so far.

GUJARAT 111/2 vs UTTARAKHAND

WICKET! Karnataka has lost both their openers - Aneesh KV (33) and Mayank Agarwal (20) - after solid start. The duo gave Karnataka a brilliant start, stitching a 55-run stand for the opening wicket.

Ravindra Jadeja claims five-wicket haul. What a return for the allrounder in the Ranji Trophy. Delhi are all out for 188 runs.

Ayush Badoni 60, Yash Dhull 44, Nayank Gusain 38*

Ravindra Jadeja 5/66, D Jadeja 3/63

ALL OUT! Mumbai have been bowled out for 120

Shardul Thakur 51

Yudhvir Singh 4/31, Umar Nazir 4/41

WICKET! A loud LBW appeal from Yudhvir Singh against Mohit Avasthi. Umpire raises his finger. Another one bites the dust. Avasthi falls for a duck. Third wicket for Yudhvir.

MUMBAI 111/9 vs J&K

WICKET! Auqib Nabi breaks the big stand. The partnership between Shardul Thakur and Tanush Kotian comes to an end. Kotian falls for 26 runs. Superb bowling by Nabi. Mumbai are 8 down now.

MUMBAI 110/8 vs J&K

Siddharth Desai achieved a remarkable milestone in first-class cricket on Thursday, claiming nine wickets in an innings against Uttarakhand during a Ranji Trophy match at Gujarat College Cricket Ground A in Ahmedabad. His outstanding performance is now the best bowling display in the history of Gujarat cricket in this format.


The left-arm orthodox spinner's incredible figures of 9-36 eclipsed the previous record of 8-31, set by Rakesh Vinubhai Dhurv against Saurashtra in 2012.

Uttarakhand’s innings ended at just 111 runs from 30 overs, with Vishal B Jayswal taking the final wicket for Gujarat.

Siddharth’s spell began in the fifth over, where he quickly dismissed PS Khanduri, Samarth R, and Yuvraj Choudhary in a span of four deliveries. By the 15th over, he had already secured his five-wicket haul, trapping Kunal Chandela LBW and bowling out Mayank Mishra.

The spinner’s dominance continued as he removed well-set opener Avneesh Sudha for 30 runs, followed by dismissing Aditya Tare, Abhay Negi, and D Dhapola to complete his remarkable nine-wicket haul.

In a related feat, Haryana bowler Anshul Kamboj became one of only six Indians to take all ten wickets in a first-class innings, achieving this rare achievement against Kerala in November last year.

Punjab are all out for 55 runs

V Koushik claims 4 wickets, while Abhilash Shetty picks 3 for Karnataka.

The stage was set for India international stars Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill as they made their return to domestic cricket after a while.

All eyes were on India Test and ODI captain Rohit who was playing his first Ranji Trophy game for the defending champions in almost a decade.

But the comeback turned out to be a damp squib as Rohit was dismissed for just 3 runs off 19 balls against Jammu and Kashmir at the Sharad Pawar Academy, BKC in Mumbai on Thursday.

Woefully out of form, Rohit had managed to score just 31 runs in three Tests in Australia, and is looking to regain touch before the ODIs against England and the Champions Trophy.

Not just that, Jaiswal too was dismissed cheaply before Rohit, as he was trapped leg before wicket by Auqib Nabi for 4 in the third over of the match.

12/2, soon became 30/3 as Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane was clean bowled by Umar Nazir for 12.

Shreyas Iyer, who has made a comeback to the Indian squad for the Champions Trophy, was dismissed next, caught Umar Nazir off Yudhvir Singh for 11.

In Delhi's Group D game against Saurashtra in Rajkot, Rishabh Pant was caught by Prerak Mankad off DA Jadeja for just 1 run.

India's newly appointed vice-captain for the England ODI series and the Champions Trophy, Shubman Gill was also dismissed cheaply while playing for Punjab against Karnataka at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Punjab captain Gill managed just 4 runs before falling to Abhilash Shetty caught by KL Shrijith.

WICKET! Rishabh Pant's much-anticipated Ranji Trophy return ends on a poor note. Pant falls for just 1.

WICKET! Ravindra Jadeja sends captain Yash Dhull packing for 44 runs. Second wicket for Jadeja.

The wait is finally over. Rishabh Pant arrives at the crease now.

WICKET! Mumbai are in deep deep trouble now. Shreyas Iyer plays a sloppy shot and throws his wicket away. Mumbai are falling like pack of cards. Yudhvir takes another wicket. J&K are all over Mumbai at the moment.

MUMBAI 47/7 in 17.2 overs vs J&K

WICKET! Mumbai are on the backfoot now. They have lost six wickets. Umar Nazir takes his fourth wicket as he dismissed Shivam Dube for a duck. Yudhvir Singh castles Shams Mulani for a duck.

MUMBAI 43/6 in 16.2 overs vs J&K

WICKET! Ravindra Jadeja takes a wicket on his much-anticipated Ranji Trophy return. He makes a loud LBW appeal against Sanat Sangwan. Sanat falls for 12 runs. Superb bowling by the experienced allrounder.

PUNJAB are tottering at 22/4 vs KARNATAKA

Prabhsimran Singh 6

Shubman Gill 4

Pukhraj Mann 1

Anmolpreet Singh 0

There was a wave of applause and cheers as star player Rohit Sharma made his way to the middle to open the batting alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in Mumbai's Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir at the BKC ground on Thursday.


However, Rohit’s stay at the crease was short-lived.

His long-awaited return to the Ranji Trophy after nearly a decade came to a sudden and disappointing end. Facing an outside-off delivery from Umar Nazir, Rohit tried to play it on the leg side but ended up with a leading edge. PK Dogra made no mistake, taking a simple catch.

The Jammu and Kashmir players erupted in loud celebrations, fully aware of the significance of dismissing a player of Rohit’s stature. A disappointed Rohit walked back to the pavilion, his comeback innings cut short.

Rohit’s departure came shortly after Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed LBW by J&K pacer Auqib Nabi for just 4 runs.

Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane had won the toss and opted to bat first on Thursday. This marked Rohit’s first Ranji appearance since 2015.

WICKET! Punjab captain Shubman Gill also fails to impress. He falls cheaply for just 4 runs. Punjab are struggling at the moment. They have lost 4 wickets inside 15 runs vs Karnataka. For Karnataka, Abhilash Shetty and Koushik V claim two wickets apiece.

Mumbai lost Yashavi Jasiwal and then Rohit Sharma early, leaving them in precarious situation. J&K bowlers have managed to take two big wickets this morning. Superb bowling from Auqib Nabi and Umar Nazir. Ajinkya Rahane joins Tamore in the middle now.

WICKET! Rohit Sharma’s much-anticipated return to the Ranji Trophy after nearly a decade ended on a disappointing note. Facing an outside-off delivery from Umar Nazir, Rohit attempted to play it towards the leg side but ended up with a leading edge. PK Dogra made no mistake, taking a comfortable catch.

The Jammu and Kashmir players erupted in loud celebrations, well aware of the significance of dismissing a player of Rohit’s caliber. A visibly disappointed Rohit walked back to the pavilion, cutting short his comeback innings.

For Punjab, Prabhsimran Singh and Shubman Gill have opened the innings vs Karnataka. Gill has hit one boundary so far.

For Karnataka, Mayank Agarawal is leading the side. Apart from Mayank, Devdutt Padikkal, Abhinav Manohar, Shreyas Gopal and Prasidh Krishna are the big names who are playing today.

Karnataka opted to field today

PUNJAB 7/0 in 2 overs vs KARNATAKA

Rohit Sharma is off to a cautious start. He has played 12 balls and scored just one run. Mumbai India suffered an early blow in the form of Yashavi Jasiwal this morning. Yashasvi scored just 4 runs before being dismissed by Auqib Nabi.

MUMBAI 11/1 in 4.3 overs vs J&K

WICKET! Mumbai lose Yashasvi Jaiswal early. The left hander falls for just 4 runs. A loud LBW appeal from Auqib Nabi Dar. Umpire raises his finger. Yashasvi faced eight balls in his four-run knock. Wicketkeeper Hardik Tamore joins Rohit in the middle now.

MUMBAI 6/1 in 2.4 overs vs J&K

Delhi openers Arpit Rana and Sanat Sangwan have opened the innings against Saurashtra at the Niranjan Shah Stadium Ground C in Rajkot.

Rohit Sharma and Yashavi Jaiswal are making their way to the middle at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy BKC in Mumbai.

Rohit has turned out in his first Ranji Trophy match in almost a decade.

When he last turned out for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, Rohit cracked 113 while batting at No 4 in a drawn game against Uttar Pradesh.

Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Shivam Dube, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Hardik Tamore (wk), Mohit Avasthi, Karsh M Kothari

Saurashtra (Playing XI): Harvik Desai(w), Cheteshwar Pujara, Chirag Jani, Sheldon Jackson, Arpit Vasavada, Ravindra Jadeja, Prerak Mankad, Yuvrajsinh Dodiya, Jaydev Unadkat(c), Sammar Gajjar, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja

Delhi (Playing XI): Sanat Sangwan, Yash Dhull, Rishabh Pant(w), Ayush Badoni(c), Arpit Rana, Mayank Gusain, Sumit Mathur, Jonty Sidhu, Shivam Sharma, Harsh Tyagi, Navdeep Saini

Delhi skipper Ayush Badoni wins toss, opts to bat against Saurashtra.

Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane wins toss, opts to bat vs Jammu and Kashmir

Going through a lean phase in the autumn of his career, India's Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma, set to turn out in his first Ranji Trophy match in almost a decade, has received a huge 'thumbs-up" from his old teammate and friend Ajinkya Rahane.

Asserting that Rohit doesn't need to be told what to do and he will get a "big one once he gets in" the Mumbai Ranji captain said that the Indian skipper is a "relaxed character" who won't get hassled due to poor form. All eyes will be on Rohit and his India opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal when the Ranji defending champions take on Jammu and Kashmir here at the BKC Ground from Thursday.

"See, Rohit is Rohit. We all know that. Aapko bhi pata hai Rohit ka character (You also know Rohit's character). I'm really happy to have both of them back in the Mumbai dressing room. I know Rohit. Rohit has always been relaxed. Even playing at the international level, his character is similar. His attitude is pretty much relaxed. He knows his game really well so, no one has to tell him what he needs to do. And Rohit knows his game really well. Once he gets in, I'm sure he will do well. He's always been relaxed, cool guy, on and off the field. He's never changed, which is a very good thing," Rahane told the reporters after Mumbai's training session here on Wednesday.

Having himself gone through a prolonged form slump in his own long career which saw him dropped from India's Test team, Rahane is exactly aware of what Rohit is experiencing at the moment. The veteran batsman said that every player goes through ups and downs, and revealed that Rohit had a few good sessions in the Mumbai nets in the build-up to the match.

"As a player, every player goes through that phase (and) that is part and parcel of any sportsman's career. What is important is (that) he is hungry, he is determined to do well. I am sure, once he gets in, he will get a big one. A player has to be confident and I feel Rohit is really confident. He batted really well yesterday (in) a couple of sessions so it's a part and parcel of a player's career. I am really confident about Rohit," Rahane said.

When he last turned out for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, Rohit cracked 113 while batting at No 4 in a drawn game against Uttar Pradesh. Rahane believes that the 37-year-old's colossal presence in the Mumbai dressing room for this match will inspire the younger players and certainly benefit the team.

Team India skipper Rohit Sharma has joined his domestic team, Mumbai, and began practice on Wednesday ahead of their second-round Ranji Trophy clash against Jammu and Kashmir.

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) shared a picture of Rohit on their official social media platform, X, with the caption: "The Hitman Show."

Rohit will feature in the second phase of the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai in a match scheduled from January 23 to 26 at the MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy, BKC, Mumbai.

The star batter’s last Ranji Trophy appearance for Mumbai was back in November 2015, where he smashed a brilliant 113 off 140 balls against Uttar Pradesh in a game that ended in a draw.

Uttar Pradesh captain Aryan Juyal have won the toss and have opted to bat


Squads:

Uttar Pradesh: Abhishek Goswami, Madhav Kaushik, Rituraj Singh, Aryan Juyal(c), Aaditya Sharma(w), Vipraj Nigam, Sameer Rizvi, Kritagya Singh, Saurabh Kumar, Shivam Mavi, Aaqib Khan, Piyush Chawla, Akshdeep Nath, Ankit Rajpoot, Shivam Sharma, Bihari Rai, Siddarth Yadav, Swastik Chikara, Vijay Kumar, Yash Dayal, Priyam Garg

Bihar: Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Piyush Singh, Babul Kumar, Sakibul Gani, Bipin Saurabh, Ayush Loharuka, Sharman Nigrodh(w), Veer Pratap Singh(c), Himanshu Singh, Shabbir Khan, Sakib Hussain, Abhijeet Saket, Harsh Singh, Sachin Kumar, Anuj Raj, Akash Raj, Rishav Raj, Hirshi Raj, Raghuvendra Pratap Singh, Yashpal Yadav, Jitin Yadav, Mayank Choudhary

ODISHA captain Govinda Poddar wins toss, opts to field vs Meghalaya

Squads:

Odisha: Swastik Samal, Shantanu Mishra, Sandeep Pattnaik, Aasirwad Swain(w), Govinda Poddar(c), Kartik Biswal, Suryakant Pradhan, Rajesh Dhuper, Sunil Roul, Sumit Sharma, Tarani Sa, Harshit Rathod, Rajesh Mohanty, Debabrata Pradhan, Anurag Sarangi, Biplab Samantray

Meghalaya: Bamanbha Shangpliang, Arpit Subash Bhatewara(w), Ajay Duhan, Balchander Anirudh, Kishan Lyngdoh, Sumit Kumar, Roshan Warbah, Akash Choudhary(c), Dippu Sangma, Aryan Bora, Bijon Dey, Ram Gurung, Jaskirat Singh, Swarajeet Das, Chengkam Sangma

The Ranji Trophy returns in full swing on Thursday, offering some of India’s finest cricketers a chance to regain form after a challenging international season.

Following Team India’s 1-3 loss in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, several key players are turning to domestic cricket to rediscover their rhythm and consistency.

Mumbai's clash with Jammu & Kashmir at the MCA’s Sharad Pawar Academy Ground in BKC is one of the most anticipated matchups.

The game will feature Indian cricketing stars such as Team India captain Rohit Sharma, young sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal, and dynamic batter Shreyas Iyer.

The defending champions, Mumbai, are aiming to cement their position at the top of Group A, and the trio will be pivotal in their campaign.

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is preparing for the occasion with limited but expanded seating for fans, providing a capacity of 500, up from the usual 100 seats.

"Considering the presence of the India stars, there will also be proper security arrangements at BKC too," a source told TOI in a report published on Tuesday.

In Rajkot, Delhi will face Saurashtra in a must-win game. Rishabh Pant, making his return to domestic cricket, will not captain the side but is expected to bring his signature firepower.

For Saurashtra, Ravindra Jadeja’s inclusion adds depth, as the all-rounder looks to contribute both with the ball and the bat at his home ground.

Karnataka will welcome Prasidh Krishna and Devdutt Padikkal in their match against Punjab, who will be without Abhishek Sharma and Arshdeep Singh due to India’s ongoing T20I series.

Punjab will rely on Shubman Gill, eager to bounce back after struggles Down Under, to guide their campaign.

With star players distributed across marquee matches, the competition promises high-quality cricket and excitement for fans across the country.

Meghalaya vs Odisha, Elite Group A

Tripura vs Services, Elite Group A

Assam vs Railways, Elite Group D

Bihar vs Uttar Pradesh, Elite Group C

Jharkhand vs Chhattisgarh, Elite Group D

Bengal vs Haryana, Elite Group C

Tamil Nadu vs Chandigarh, Elite Group D

Kerala vs Madhya Pradesh, Elite Group C

Saurashtra vs Delhi, Elite Group D

Karnataka vs Punjab, Elite Group C

Maharashtra vs Baroda, Elite Group A

Mumbai vs Jammu and Kashmir, Elite Group A

Gujarat vs Uttarakhand, Elite Group B

Hyderabad vs Himachal Pradesh, Elite Group B

Puducherry vs Andhra, Elite Group B

Rajasthan vs Vidarbha, Elite Group B

Punjab sit fifth in Group C with just one win from five matches, but all eyes will be on India's new ODI vice-captain, Shubman Gill, who is looking to regain form after a challenging run with the bat.

Punjab face a tough test against Karnataka at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The hosts, brimming with confidence after their Vijay Hazare Trophy triumph, will be strengthened by the return of Devdutt Padikkal and Prasidh Krishna, both of whom featured during India’s tour of Australia.

Gill’s inclusion offers some respite for Punjab, who will be without Abhishek Sharma and Arshdeep Singh, currently on national duty for the T20I series against England.

In another Group C clash, Bengal will be without Akash Deep and Abhimanyu Easwaran, both sidelined with injuries sustained during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Bengal, placed third, will face Haryana in Kalyani, looking to climb the standings despite Mohammed Shami’s absence, as he has joined the Indian T20I squad.

Meanwhile, last year’s Ranji Trophy runner-up, Vidarbha, will take on fourth-placed Rajasthan in Jaipur in a Group B encounter. Fresh from their defeat to Karnataka in the Vijay Hazare Trophy final, Vidarbha will aim to bounce back with a strong performance.

Karnataka’s Karun Nair, in stellar form during the 50-over competition, will look to carry his momentum into the four-day format as he continues his quest for an India comeback.

In Rajkot, Delhi will take on two-time champions Saurashtra in a crucial Group D encounter, featuring an exciting clash between Rishabh Pant and his India teammates Ravindra Jadeja and Cheteshwar Pujara.

With both teams struggling in the standings—Delhi and Saurashtra are fourth and fifth, respectively, with just one win each—the match is a must-win for both sides as they look to close the gap on group leaders Tamil Nadu and Chandigarh.

Only the top two teams from each of the four groups will progress to the quarterfinals, adding extra stakes to this high-pressure contest.

Hello and welcome to the Live coverage of Ranji Trophy matches.

A rare congregation of stars will be on display when the Ranji Trophy resumes on Thursday with big names such as Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant agreeing to show up for their respective sides, nudged primarily by the BCCI's stern diktat on respect for domestic cricket. Rohit will be turning up for defending champions Mumbai after nearly a decade when action resumes in the second half of the country's premier red-ball competition across different venues.

For the first time this season, the two biggest white-ball competitions -- Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy -- split the Ranji Trophy into two halves with each state side playing five matches apiece in the first leg.

With every team to play two more matches in the second round, a lot will be at stake not only for the sides involved but also for various national players, who have been clearly told that they cannot ignore domestic cricket anymore following crushing defeats to New Zealand at home and Australia in an away series.

Even though batting superstar Virat Kohli will take a few more days to recover from a neck strain before joining his Delhi teammates for the final round of group stage matches from January 30, Rohit is set to play for Mumbai under the leadership of Ajinkya Rahane.

In all likelihood, Mumbai will pair him with Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top, replicating the India combination, when they will face a formidable Jammu and Kashmir, currently placed second in Elite Group A.

At the top is Baroda, who beat Mumbai in the season-opener, but the Rahane-led side can be backed to find their mojo and get back in the saddle to aim for a record-extending 43rd title.

The outing with Mumbai is expected to benefit India's out-of-sorts Test and ODI skipper Rohit, who has endured a horror run with the bat over the last three months.

How Rohit responds to the fresh challenge could also determine India's fate in the Champions Trophy next month, which could well be his last shot at winning another major event.