The Ranji Trophy is a marathon, says Mumbai vice-captain Siddhesh Lad

Mumbai started its Ranji Trophy season by pocketing six points as it defeated Jammu and Kashmir, and followed it up with three more points against Chhattisgarh on the virtue of a first-innings lead.

And, as the team gears up for another away game, this time against Rajasthan, Mumbai vice-captain Siddhesh Lad makes it clear that the side does not want to lose the momentum at “any cost”.

“With an away win against J&K, and a first-inning lead in the last game, the team is confident now. But also, we know that these are early days in the season, and as our coach (Omkar Salvi) says, the Ranji Trophy is a marathon, so we need to take one game at a time. But we are trying to carry the momentum, and we don’t want to lose it at any cost,” Lad told The Hindu.

The return of Yashasvi Jaiswal has also been a massive boost for the domestic giant. “It’s a big boost for us that Yashasvi is back. He brings a lot of quality and confidence to the dressing room. And, the way he is playing in the international circuit, we are very happy to have him, and I am sure with his experience, we will have that confidence in the top-order this time,” Lad said.

This time around, both Lad and Ajinkya Rahane have been among runs, and the seasoned campaigner sees that as a positive.