Mumbai captain Shardul Thakur says the current domestic scheduling has brought much-needed balance for players moving between formats, especially those playing long stretches of First-Class cricket. After Mumbai’s innings-and-122-run win over Pondicherry at the Wankhede Stadium, he said that the break between Ranji Trophy phases has helped players manage workload and stay mentally sharper. Thakur noted that continuous red-ball cricket can be demanding and welcomed the mix of formats this season. “There would always be mixed views on it, but personally I am okay with it… to play ten games in a row is tough on the body,” he told PTI, adding that other cricket systems adopt similar spacing of fixtures.
He pointed to the advantage of switching formats mid-season. “Otherwise, you are just playing one format for three months and then suddenly, white-ball cricket and then red-ball cricket is lost,” Thakur said. He felt the structure allowed players to remain connected to both formats. “So, it’s good that we are playing five games and we have a bit of a break. Then we play white-ball tournament, and then again move to red-ball cricket,” he added. For those logging consistent First-Class appearances, the pause has been even more useful. “Players who are playing First-Class cricket throughout the year… a bit of break in between, switching in the formats is always good,” he said. Thakur also addressed the role of experienced players in Mumbai’s setup, saying age should not influence selection. “There is no rule anywhere that only youngsters can play cricket and once you are over 30, you can’t play,” he said. He credited Siddhesh Lad and Akhil Herwadkar, both over 30, for shaping Mumbai’s second straight innings win. He emphasised that performance remains the only metric. “This sport is as much about fitness as it is about skills. At the end of the day, what matters is wickets and runs,” he said. Thakur cited an early example to highlight why young players also need strong backing. “If you remember, when Shreyas Iyer came to the Mumbai team in 2013 or 2014, he failed in the first two matches. But then, he made 70, and a 150,” he said, adding that Iyer has continued to deliver whenever he turns up for Mumbai.“And even today, whenever he comes, plays Ranji Trophy for Mumbai, he performs like a champion,” Shardul added.
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He expressed disappointment that Lad did not get opportunities at the highest level, saying, “It is unfortunate that he could not play cricket at the highest level… when there is a match winner player, his age is not taken into account.” Thakur also confirmed that his move to Mumbai Indians for IPL 2026 felt timely. “Everyone likes to play in the home venue… I think finally the time has come,” he said.
