The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has disclosed their squad for the upcoming edition of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2024, as the middle order batter of the side, Shreyas Iyer, will lead the team and has been boosted with the return of their opening batter Prithvi Shaw. The senior selection committee met on November 17 to pick the team for the event, which will begin on November 23.
This Mumbai captain, six months ago, helped the Kolkata Knight Riders, ending their drought of winning a title in the tournament for the first time since 2014. However, the management of the franchise decided to part ways with the captain, who will enter the mega auction to find a new base for the team.
Iyer has clubbed the third most runs for Mumbai in the SMAT. More than 1350 runs have come off his blade in 45 innings at an average of 34.89 and a strike rate of over 138 with the help of seven half-centuries and a couple of centuries at the best score of 147.
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Shreyas leading the team means Ajinkya Rahane, who is leading the team in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season, will play under his leadership. It’s learned that the selection committee of the MCA has advised Rahane about their decision to change the captain for the shortest format of the game.
No Shivam Dube and Musheer Khan in the Mumbai squad for SMAT 2024-25
Shaw has also made his comeback in the side after missing the last few fixtures for Mumbai due to fitness issues. Their association feels that Prithvi has done well in that aspect and could be a hardy person in the white-ball cricket.
He has grabbed 813 runs in 28 innings at an average of over 30 and a strike rate of 160.99 with the help of six half-centuries at the best score of 134-run knock. Rahane is the fourth leading run-getter of the tournament for the domestic side with the help of 969 runs in 47 innings at an average of 22.53 and a strike rate of 117.45 thanks to the seven half-centuries.
“Iyer will lead the Mumbai T20 side for Syed Mushtaq Ali, and Shaw has been included. Rahane will be playing under Iyer’s captaincy as MCA feels Iyer is the right choice for this format.” The reports have informed about the squad selection of the side.
The likes of Shivam Dube, Musheer Khan, and Tushar Deshpande are yet to recover fully from the injuries, and that’s the reason behind the Mumbai association not picking them in the squad.
The reports have claimed that the side will be without the T20I captain of the national side, Suryakumar Yadav, who will not be available for the first few games and is expected to return for the side after getting rid of personal reasons. The wedding of his sister, Dinal Yadav, seems to be the reason behind it.
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The young opening batter Ayush Mhatre, who slammed two centuries in his debut first-class season, will be missing the league stage of the event as he has to report for the India under-19 camp and will be participating in the Under-19 Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
Mumbai will start their event against Goa before facing Maharashtra, Kerala, Nagaland, Services, and Andhra in their league games.
Mumbai Squad For SMAT 2024-25
Shreyas Iyer (captain), Prithvi Shaw, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Jay Bista, Ajinkya Rahane, Siddhesh Lad, Suryansh Shedge, Sairaj Patil, Hardik Tamore (wk), Aakash Anand (wk), Shams Mulani, Himanshu Singh, Tanush Kotian, Shardul Thakur, Mohit Avasthi, Royston Dias, Juned Khan.
