Yashasvi Jaiswal Ruled Out Of Ranji Trophy Semi-final Due To Ankle Niggle

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mumbai’s star opener, has been ruled out of the much-anticipated Ranji Trophy semi-final clash against Vidarbha due to an unfortunate right ankle injury sustained during training. This unexpected setback comes at a crucial juncture for Mumbai, as they prepare for a title-defense battle against a strong Vidarbha side.

Details of Jaiswal’s Injury

Jaiswal injured his right ankle while training over the weekend. Given the nature of his injury, he will not be fit in time for the semi-final, which begins on Monday in Nagpur. The severity of his injury has not been fully disclosed, but his return to competitive cricket is expected to take some time.

“Jaiswal has been ruled out of the Ranji Trophy semifinals clash as he is suffering from a left ankle pain. He fielded in Mumbai’s practice session today (Sunday) at Nagpur but looked uncomfortable while batting in the nets. It is an old injury which has recurred. He has to leave for the BCCI’s Centre of excellence tomorrow to start his recovery process,” TOI quoted a source as saying.

With Jaiswal out of the picture, Mumbai will have to depend on their existing core group of experienced batters. Fortunately, Mumbai still boasts heavyweights like Ajinkya Rahane, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, and Shardul Thakur to guide them through this critical fixture.

Mumbai’s Stand on Replacement

Surprisingly, Mumbai has decided against naming a replacement for Jaiswal. The management believes that their current squad has enough firepower to handle the challenge, even without their explosive opener.

Jaiswal has had limited participation in this Ranji Trophy season, playing just one match against Jammu and Kashmir. In that game, he managed scores of 4 and 26, with Mumbai eventually losing by five wickets.

Jaiswal’s Role in India’s Champions Trophy 2025 Squad

Jaiswal was initially named in India’s squad for the Champions Trophy 2025. However, just before the final selection, the team management made a late change, replacing him with Varun Chakaravarthy. Despite this, Jaiswal was listed as a non-traveling reserve, meaning he could have been called up in case of an injury. With his current injury status, he is now expected to return home.

The decision to replace Jaiswal with Varun Chakaravarthy raised eyebrows, but the selectors favored Chakaravarthy due to the conditions expected in Dubai, where the Champions Trophy will be played. Spin is likely to play a significant role, and Chakaravarthy’s ability to deceive batters with his variations made him the preferred choice.

Shivam Dube, another key Mumbai player, has also been named as a non-traveling reserve for India’s Champions Trophy squad. If required, he will fly to Dubai to join the team.

Mumbai’s Struggles in Ranji Trophy This Season

Despite being the defending champions, Mumbai has faced several challenges in the Ranji Trophy this year. They barely made it past the quarter-finals, facing significant pressure against Haryana before their lower-order batters rescued them in the first innings.

Vidarbha’s Dominant Form in the Tournament

Vidarbha has been in exceptional form this season, securing outright victories in seven of their eight matches. In the quarter-finals, they convincingly defeated Tamil Nadu by 198 runs, setting up a semi-final showdown with Mumbai.

Mumbai squad

Ajinkya Rahane (capt), Ayush Mhatre, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Amogh Bhatkal, Suryakumar Yadav, Siddhesh Lad, Shivam Dube, Akash Anand (wk), Hardik Tamore (wk), Suryansh Shedge, Shardul Thakur, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Mohit Avasthi, Sylvester D’Souza, Royston Dias, Atharva Ankolekar, Harsh Tanna

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