Mumbai will be missing the services of Shivam Dube for their first Ranji Trophy game against Jammu Kashmir to be played in Srinagar from Wednesday . The Mumbai all-rounder has suffered ‘back stiffness’ and flew back to Mumbai on Tuesday night. “He flew with the team but due to cold weather he suffered back stiffness. The team medical team advised him to rest, so he flew back to Mumbai on Tuesday,” a source in the Mumbai Cricket Association confirmed to The Indian Express.
Dube has been picked for the Indian T20 team which will play five T20I’s against Australia Down Under later this month. The Mumbai team is hoping that Dube will be fine by this weekend and he will be flying to Australia with the Indian team on October 23.
Dube played a key role in India winning the Asia Cup last month. His six hitting ability, especially to spinners, make him the lethal batsman down the order. Despite being part of the Indian T20 squad, Dube has been part of the Ranji squad over the last couple of seasons. Mumbai, who missed out on knockout berth last season, will be welcoming back middle-order batsman Musheer Khan in the side. Apart from Dube Mumbai have Tanush Kotian and Shams Mulani as all-rounders. Mumbai are in Elite Group D and are paired alongside Hyderabad, Delhi, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Pondicherry, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
The Mumbai team flew to J&K few days ago under their new skipper Shardul Thakur. The Mumbai team already has few Indian players playing for the side. The team comprises Ajinkya Rahane, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande while India Under 19 captain Ayush Mhatre is expected to join the team straight from Australia.
Mumbai will eye for redemption especially after they lost to J&K last year back in their own backyard. The 91st edition of the Ranji Trophy gets underway on Wednesday.
