Ayush Mhatre sidelined with injury as Mumbai's Ranji Trophy campaign hits roadblock

Mumbai's ongoing Ranji Trophy campaign has hit a roadblock as their vice-captain Ayush Mhatre has been sidelined for a month with an injury. Mhatre suffered a Grade 4 tear in his right hamstring while representing Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy opening-round fixture against Chandigarh at Wankhede. 

Mhatre fell two short of a half-century, dismissed by Rohit Dhanda in the first innings before Mumbai posted 429. He suffered the injury while running between the wickets and was seen limping before he was put out of his misery. Notably, this was Mhatre's first competitive game after he was ruled out of the Indian Premier League's (IPL) 19th edition midway through with an injury to his left hamstring.

"It seems that he will not be with the team for some time now," Lad said after the win over Chandigarh, as reported by Cricinfo. "The way he was limping in the match, it does not look like he would be available for the second or the third match.

"It happened while running [between the wickets]...we had two or three simulations and club games, and he also played at the BKC (Ground), and he was looking fine for the last three-four matches, but he felt something in his hamstring while taking a second run."

Mumbai will also be without the services of Shardul Thakur in their next round against Himachal Pradesh. Shardul sustained a fracture on his right middle finger while training with his Mumbai teammates in the lead-up to the tournament opener.

Mumbai dished out an overwhelmingly dominant performance against Chandigarh in their first round, bowling them out for just 78 in the first innings as pacer Tushar Deshpande claimed a five-wicket haul.

Chandigarh responded with a much-improved batting effort in the second innings but Mumbai's spinners, Tanush Kotian and Shams Mulani, were equal to the task. Mulani and Kotian claimed three wickets apiece, bundling Chandigarh out for 196.