Ranji Trophy: Mumbai’s Siddhesh Lad regrets missing out on bonus point against Hyderabad
Mumbai’s comprehensive victory over Hyderabad sealed its place in the Ranji Trophy knockouts with a match to spare. However, captain Siddhesh Lad admitted there was a tinge of disappointment at missing the chance to force an innings win and pocket a valuable extra point.
“We want to be at the top, so that we can have games played at our home ground, which gives us an advantage. We could’ve been number one now, but we’re currently tied with Bengal (30 points). But these things happen,” he said.
Lad was satisfied with the team effort that’s carrying Mumbai in the absence of several key players.
“We didn’t have Shardul (Thakur) or even Shams (Mulani), but Musheer (Khan) stepped up. Sarfaraz (Khan) is back in form; he didn’t have a great form this season in red-ball cricket. Suvedh Parkar, who came into the team after a long time, batted really well. That’s also a positive for us, one of many,” Lad said.
Leading by example this season with 646 runs, including four centuries and a half-century, Lad made it clear that individual milestones and goals were secondary in the larger picture.
“Frankly, I’m not looking too much anywhere. I’m just focused on winning the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai. That has been my ultimate goal for the last two years, since I’ve come back. That is why the management has got me here, as a 33-year-old, to take care of the team and make sure everyone knows the culture and what tradition we have,” he said.
Published on Jan 25, 2026
