Ajinkya Rahane Opts Out of Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Remainder

Ajinkya Rahane was ruled out of the remaining Ranji Trophy 2025–26 season after informing the Mumbai Cricket Association about his unavailability due to personal reasons.

Senior batter Ajinkya Rahane has informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) that he will not be available for the remainder of the Ranji Trophy 2025–26 season. Phase two of the Elite Group stage begins on January 22, with teams having already completed five matches. Mumbai are set to face Hyderabad in the sixth-round fixture, but Rahane will not lead the 42-time champions.

Rahane cited personal reasons for his unavailability for the rest of the season, though the exact cause remains undisclosed. An MCA official confirmed the development and stated that the experienced batter will not feature in the remaining matches of the premier red-ball tournament.

“Yes, Rahane has informed us ahead of today’s selection committee meeting that he won’t be taking part in the remaining season of the Ranji Trophy due to personal reasons,” MCA secretary Unmesh Khanvilkar was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

Shardul Thakur-led Mumbai to rely on youth

Rahane’s absence adds to Mumbai’s concerns, with several senior players unavailable. Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube and Suryakumar Yadav are currently on national duty for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand and the build-up to the T20 World Cup 2026. As a result, the Shardul Thakur-led side will enter the second phase with a relatively inexperienced squad.

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The MCA is set to announce the final squad for the remaining two Elite Group matches on Saturday, January 17. Mumbai will be without Rahane, along with the India internationals mentioned above.

However, opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal could return for Mumbai, as he is not engaged with the national team at present. Jaiswal last represented the state during the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26, where he played three group matches, and also featured in three games of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025.