Jaffer to lead Mumbai in Irani Cup

Wasim Jaffer will lead Mumbai in their Irani Cup match against Rest of India in Nagpur starting October 1. The 15-man squad has three other players with international experience: middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma, fast bowler Ajit Agarkar and offspinner Ramesh Powar.

Other key performers for Mumbai in their Ranji Trophy victory last season who are included are fast bowler Dhawal Kulkarni and batsman Ajinkya Rahane.

Mumbai will be missing the services of veteran middle-order batsman and former captain, Amol Muzumdar, who has switched to Assam, and allrounder Abhishek Nayar, who is with the national team in South Africa for the Champions Trophy.

Three players are in with a chance of making a first-class return for Mumbai after missing out for several years: offspinner OJ Khanvilkar (who last played in 2006), wicketkeeper-batsman Sushant Marathe (last played in 2007) and batsman Prashant Naik (last played in 2007).

Saurabh Netravalkar, the left-arm medium-pacer who played for Air India Red in the recent BCCI Corporate Cup, also finds a place in the squad. He is yet to make his first-class debut.

Mumbai are up against a strong Rest of India side, led by Virender Sehwag, with a bowling line-up reading Irfan Pathan, Munaf Patel, Sreesanth and Pragyan Ojha.

Mumbai squad: Wasim Jaffer (capt), Ajit Agarkar, Sahil Kukreja, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Prashant Naik, Vinayak Samant, Ramesh Powar, Iqbal Abdulla, Dhawal Kulkarni, Rahil Shaikh, Murtuza Hussain, Sushant Marathe, Saurabh Netravalkar, OJ Khanvilkar