Kolkata, Feb 1 (IANS): India batter Prithvi Shaw set to make a return to competitive cricket after a six-month hiatus due to a knee injury as he has been included in Mumbai's squad for the fifth round of the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy against Bengal here at Eden Gardens.

The decision to include Shaw in Mumbai' squad came after a clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, following a fitness test in which he was deemed fit for competitive cricket.

"Prithvi Shaw is progressing well in his batting and fielding drills. He will undergo higher volumes of acceleration, change of direction, and agility drills over the next 3 weeks to develop the required robustness for his injured knee ligament before making a return to sports," The NCA had informed the Mumbai Cricket Association, as quoted by Cricbuzz.

The 24-year-old, who sustained the injury during a county stint with Northamptonshire in August, underwent surgery in London, followed by three-month rehabilitation process at NCA.

Shaw's injury came at a time when he was in peak form, leading the run charts in England's domestic one-day competition with 429 runs, including a record-breaking 244 off 153 balls against Somerset.

Mumbai, the 41-time Ranji champions, currently leads Group B with three wins in four matches.