Prithvi Shaw, Jalaj Saxena named in Ankeet Bawane-led Maharashtra Ranji Trophy squad

Pune, Oct 9 (IANS) India batter Prithvi Shaw and seasoned domestic all-rounder Jalaj Saxena have been included in Maharashtra’s 16-member squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season, which begins on October 15.

The state selectors appointed Ankeet Bawane as the full-time captain for the campaign, with Maharashtra set to face Kerala in their opening fixture in Thiruvananthapuram from October 15-18.

Shaw, who switched from Mumbai ahead of the season, is aiming for a fresh start after a turbulent period that saw him lose his place in the red-ball setup. His move to Maharashtra is seen as a significant step in trying to revive his red-ball career. Meanwhile, Saxena, one of the most consistent all-rounders in domestic cricket, joins the squad after a long stint with Kerala, where he played a key role in their run to the Ranji final last season. He was part of the team that played a warm-up match against his old team, Mumbai, in which he got into a heated confrontation with Musheer Khan, raising his bat to nearly hit Musheer. Shaw is in good form as he scored 181 against Mumbai.

India international Ruturaj Gaikwad, a regular feature in Maharashtra’s setup and a former captain, is also part of the squad. The selectors have leaned on experience, picking Pradeep Dadhe over young fast bowler Rajvardhan Hangargekar.

In the previous Ranji season (2024-25), Maharashtra finished fifth in Elite Group A, managing two wins, two draws, and three losses from seven matches.

Maharashtra have been placed in Group B, which includes Kerala (last season’s runners-up), Saurashtra, Chandigarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Goa - all strong contenders in the domestic circuit.

Maharashtra squad: Ankeet Bawane (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prithvi Shaw, Arshin Kulkarni, Siddhesh Veer, Saurabh Nawale (wk), Mandar Bhandari (wk), Jalaj Saxena, Vicky Ostwal, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Mukesh Choudhary, Pradeep Dadhe, Hitesh Walunj, Siddharth Mhatre, Harshal Kate, Rajneesh Gurbani.

--IANS

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