Shardul Thakur has been appointed captain of West Zone for the Duleep Trophy 2025. Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur will also lead Mumbai in the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy season, following Ajinkya Rahane’s decision to step down as captain, according to the Indian Express. On Thursday (August 21), Rahane announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he would resign from the captaincy but remain a player in the Mumbai squad.
Rahane enjoyed a successful tenure as Mumbai captain. Under his leadership, Mumbai clinched the Ranji Trophy in the 2023–24 season, ending a seven-year title drought. The team also won the Irani Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last season, where Rahane emerged as the leading run-scorer.
After Wasim Jaffer, Rahane is Mumbai’s second-highest run-scorer in first-class cricket, amassing 5,932 runs in 76 matches at an average of 52.0, including 19 centuries.
Shardul Thakur to Captain West Zone in Duleep Trophy 2025
Shardul Thakur, a key all-rounder for Mumbai in domestic cricket, has been named captain of West Zone for the Duleep Trophy 2025. The tournament is set to begin on August 28 and will feature six teams competing for the title.
In the previous Ranji Trophy season, Shardul Thakur showcased his all-round abilities, scoring 505 runs and taking 35 wickets in nine matches for Mumbai. His performance included one century and four half-centuries, helping Mumbai reach the semi-finals, where they were defeated by eventual champions Vidarbha.
Shardul Thakur was last seen on the field during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, where he struggled to make an impact, scoring 46 runs and claiming just two wickets across two Tests. His underwhelming performance led to him being dropped from the side.
