Cheteshwar Pujara commits to Saurashtra for upcoming Ranji Trophy season- Reports

Cheteshwar Pujara’s last game for India came during the ICC WTC 2021-23 final.

Cheteshwar Pujara, a seasoned cricketer for India, declared himself available for the Saurashtra side for the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season.

The 37-year-old Pujara, a 103-test red-ball stalwart for India, currently only plays in multi-day contests for his home state. As Saurashtra lost to Gujarat in the quarterfinals last season, where Pujara amassed 402 runs in seven games at an average of 40.2 and one century and a half.

Since his final ICC World Test Championship (WTC) appearance for the national team at The Oval in June 2023, he has not been a member of India’s test team.

A senior Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) official confirmed Pujara’s availability.

“He has signaled 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,” an SCA official told Cricbuzz.

The West Zone selectors claimed they wanted to concentrate on young players; hence, they excluded Pujara from the Duleep Trophy. On October 15, Saurashtra plays Karnataka in the inaugural match of the Ranji Trophy.

Ajinkya Rahane steps down as Mumbai captain ahead of the upcoming Ranji season

On the other hand, veteran cricketer Ajinkya Rahane has decided to step down as captain of the Mumbai side ahead of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season.

Rahane captained Mumbai in 26 Twenty20 matches, 19 List A games, and 25 First Class games. In the 2023–24 season, Mumbai won their 42nd Ranji Trophy under his leadership. Additionally, he won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Tournament in 2022–2023 as captain, a feat Mumbai duplicated last season under Shreyas Iyer’s leadership. Rahane scored 469 runs at a strike rate of 164.56, earning him the title of player of the tournament.

“Captaining and winning championships with the Mumbai team has been an absolute honor. 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 announced on X.

However, his stepping down from captaincy does not mean that he won’t play for Mumbai.

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