Mumbai started their campaign with a 35-run victory over Jammu & Kashmir.
The Ranji Trophy 2025/26 commenced on October 15. The 42-time champions Mumbai were scheduled to take on Jammu & Kashmir in Srinagar. Till a certain point, all went as per plan. The players were out in the middle, warming up for the fixture and Mumbai were put in to bat first.
But one incident during the pre-game formalities raised serious concerns about the fitness of pacer Tushar Deshpande. The premier fast bowler experienced some breathlessness while he was warming up.
Moments later, the 30-year-old was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was given some emergency treatment for the bronchitis flare-up. Much to the surprise of the management and the fans, Deshpande came back onto the field and played the match. Though the doctors were unsure about his participation in the fixture, Deshpande was keen to play.
“Playing at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar, a venue known for its high altitude and low oxygen levels, Deshpande was warming up on the opening day when he suddenly experienced acute breathlessness”, stated the Rajasthan Royals on their website.
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As per the doctor’s recommendations, Deshpande could have easily benched himself for the game. But his willingness to fight for the team made sure that he took the field on Day 2. Deshpande led the bowling attack alongside Shardul Thakur, and was the highest wicket-taker in the first innings, with three wickets for 57 runs in his 19 overs.
Upon being asked about why he chose to play, going against what the doctors recommended, he said that it was important for the side to start their campaign on a high against the opponents who beat Mumbai last season. To add to that, Deshpande was returning to the Ranji Trophy after almost 18 months, which was important for him.
“I had blanked out for 10 seconds during warm-up but the will to do it for my team greatly helped me get over my discomfort”, said Deshpande after the game.
Mumbai were quickly in a spot of bother, losing their maiden wicket with no runs on the board. However, Siddhesh Lad’s 116 and Shams Mulani’s 91 steered them to 386. Paras Dogra scored a valiant 144 in the first innings too, which ultimately went in vain. Mulani scalped seven wickets in the second innings, taking Mumbai to victory by a margin of 35 runs.
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