23 January,2013 06:09 PM IST | | PTI
Hosts Mumbai, bidding to regain the Ranji Trophy championship after a gap of two seasons, have retained their semifinal squad for the summit clash against Saurashtra to be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from January 26-30.u00a0
However, Mumbai's hopes of summoning opener Ajinkya Rahane and middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma, who are part of the Indian ODI squad playing against England, for the game have been dashed, according to Mumbai Cricket Association's joint secretary Nitin Dalal.
"We have retained the same squad (that played in the semis against Services at the Palam Ground in Delhi) for the final. But I don't think the Rahane and Rohit would be released for the match," he said.
Mumbai will be hoping Wasim Jaffer and Dhawal Kulkarni can continue their good form against Saurashtra. File Pic
The two players' presence was requested through a letter to the Cricket Board by MCA after Mumbai defeated Services on the basis of the first innings lead.
Ajit Agarkar lead the 39-time winners, who will also be without injured pacer Zaheer Khan. Zaheer hurt his calf muscle during the last league game against Gujarat at the D Y Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and is undergoing rehabilitation.
Incidentally, this will be Sachin Tendulkar's sixth overall Ranji Trophy final and first final since 2009.
It will also be the Master Blaster's fourth Ranji game of the season. Mumbai fans will be hoping the little maestro adds to his tally of two centuries this season against Saurashtra. The 39-year-old's great record at Wankhede Stadium in Ranji Trophy finals will only add to that belief.u00a0
The full squad: Ajit Agarkar (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Jaffer, Suryakumar Yadav, Dhaval Kulkarni, Kaustubh Pawar, Abhishek Nayar, Hiken Shah, Aditya Tare, Ankit Chavan, Nikhil Patil (Jr.), Javed Khan, Sushant Marathe, Shardul Thakur and Vishal Dabholkar Coach: Sulakshan Kulkarni.u00a0
