The fourth round of Ranji Trophy 2025/26 featured some remarkable performances including a world record. Here are the major talking points from the latest round of matches.
What should Mumbai do with Rahane?
While there is little doubt over Ajinkya Rahane’s class, it is a fact that he has not been in form – for three seasons now (which includes winning the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai as captain). He did get a hundred this season (and hit back at the selectors) but followed that with scores of 3, 18, and 2.
It would not have been a problem had he played for a weaker side, but Mumbai are by far the most successful team in the history of the Ranji Trophy. Rahane bats at three for Mumbai. If he gives up that slot (by dropping down the order, to begin with), Sarfaraz Khan – eyeing a comeback for some time – will benefit immensely.
Rahane may still play until at least two of Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, and Yashasvi Jaiswal return (Jaiswal’s arrival may force the in-form Musheer Khan to bat down). With Sarfaraz Khan, desperate for a comeback, also in the XI, the selectors may need to take a harsh call – and Mumbai selectors seldom shy from being ruthless.
Mumbai selectors, how long are you going to select Ajinkya Rahane for the Ranji trophy ? Only 2 hundreds in 33 innings ? Isn't he blocking the number 3 slot ? Are selectors spineless ? pic.twitter.com/HlaTDk7nmw
— Makarand Waingankar (@wmakarand) November 11, 2025
Can Shaw find a way back?
Prithvi Shaw had moved from Mumbai to Maharashtra ahead of the season. He started with a hundred in the Buchi Babu Trophy. He then hit another hundred against Mumbai in a warm-up game. In the second game of this tournament, he hit the third-fastest double hundred in Ranji Trophy history en route to a 159-ball 222 against Chandigarh. He now followed this with 71 against Karnataka.
The Indian Test XI may have a settled opening pair as of now, but Shaw may end up being a contender. Besides, the No.3 in the Test XI is still a semi-open position.
Roving veterans still have it in them
For years, senior Indian cricketers (even former internationals) have played for Tripura after long-standing stints with their original teams. Having moved from Andhra, Hanuma Vihari followed his 141 against Bengal with 156 against Assam. In the second game, teammate Vijay Shankar – formerly of Tamil Nadu – slammed an unbeaten 150 off only 143 balls.
Having had long stints for Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, Jalaj Saxena joined Shaw at Maharashtra for this season. Against Karnataka, he first claimed 4-94, then scored 72, then took another wicket in the second innings for good measure. He needs five wickets to become the fourth-highest wicket taker in Ranji Trophy history, and another to reach the 500-mark in first-class cricket.
The ascent of Auqib Nabi and Jammu & Kashmir
There were a few murmurs when Nabi was not picked for India A against South Africa A. One can see why. He may be 29 and not fast enough for his pace to be a factor. However, unlike most Indian seamers, he can bat a bit (he averages around 20 with both ball and bat). He is also in form.
When Jammu & Kashmir put up a fight against Mumbai before losing in the end, Nabi had 58 runs (once dismissed) and seven wickets. When they thrashed Rajasthan by an innings, he had his best first-class figures (7-24), maiden ten-wicket haul, and maiden fifty in first-class cricket. Now, when they beat Delhi for the first time (that too in Delhi), Nabi had 5-35 in the first innings.
J&K are only behind Mumbai in the Group D in Ranji Trophy 2025/26. Across the last two seasons, they have beaten four former champions – Baroda, Mumbai, Rajasthan, and now Delhi. Once considered the weakest side in the North Zone, they are rapidly establishing themselves as a major cricketing force.
The spin-bowling all-rounder competition intensifies
While most team struggle to have two world-class spin-bowling all-rounders in Test cricket, India’s riches in the department force them to leave out Axar Patel, who lost out to Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. The India A squad against South Africa featured three more – Manav Suthar, Harsh Dubey, and Tanush Kotian.
It does not end there – and that is even if one ignores the ubiquitous Saxena. Not having played for India since 2023, Bengal’s Shahbaz Ahmed has found form in the Ranji Trophy. He followed 6-34 and 3-20 against Gujarat with 40 and 51 not out against Tripura, and now 86, 1-42, and a career-best of 7-56 against Railways.
What about Madhya Pradesh’s Saransh Jain, then? After wrecking Punjab with 6-75, he scored an unbeaten 103 against Saurashtra. Then, against Goa, he picked up six wickets in the match and top-scored in both innings with 48 and 82 not out. In the second innings, he came at 176-4 and helped MP chase 328.
Parth Rekhade first hit the headlines with his famous triple-wicket over in the 2024/25 Ranji semi-final. It was only his second match. In this round, he picked 3-31 and 5-80 (his maiden five-for) to help Vidarbha beat Odisha. His batting is yet to come off at this level, but Vidarbha use him as a floater, even at No.3.
