Dube Unavailable for Mumbai's Season Opener Due to Back Stiffness

Dube Unavailable for Mumbai's Season Opener Due to Back Stiffness

Ranji Trophy 2025: All-rounder Shivam Dube has been ruled out from Mumbai's Ranji Trophy squad ahead of their tournament opener against Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday due to back stiffness.

Mumbai all-rounder Shivam Dube won’t play the first Ranji Trophy match of the 2025-26 season against Jammu & Kashmir. He’s been pulled out due to back stiffness and flew back home from Srinagar on Tuesday. The decision is just a precaution Dube is also part of India’s T20I squad heading to Australia on October 23 for a five-match series.

Dube was one of India’s standout performers in the 2025 Asia Cup. Captain Suryakumar Yadav trusted him with the ball often. In the final against Pakistan, Dube stepped up in Hardik Pandya’s absence, bowling three tight overs for 23 runs and scoring a quick 33 off 22 balls to help India win a tense chase.

While Dube will rejoin Mumbai after the Australia tour, the team gets a boost with the return of Musheer Khan. Musheer missed last season due to a neck and collarbone injury from a road accident. His elder brother, Sarfaraz Khan, is also back after recovering from a quadriceps injury that kept him out of the Test series against West Indies.

Mumbai will be led by Shardul Thakur this season, taking over from Ajinkya Rahane. Rahane is still playing and has been preparing since July even training in the UK during a media assignment on India’s Test tour.

Mumbai are placed in Group D with J&K, Hyderabad, Delhi, Puducherry, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. Their opening match against J&K is being seen as a revenge game Mumbai had lost to them by five wickets last season at the Bandra Kurla Complex.