Rediff

Mumbai, Jan 5: Sachin Tendulkar was on Friday named in Mumbai's squad to play Maharashtra, in the seventh and last round Ranji Trophy Elite Division Group B match, commencing at Nashik on January 10.

Tendulkar, who last represented Mumbai in the Irani Cup tie against Rest of India at Chennai three years ago, has been drafted in the team after the Board of Control for Cricket in India made it mandatory for the whole squad doing duty in South Africa to play for their respective domestic teams.

Opener Wasim Jaffer and left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan, both now in South Africa along with Tendulkar, will also be seen in action for the 36-time winners of the national title.

While Jaffer is a regular for Mumbai, it will be the first time that Zaheer will play for his adopted association following his switch from Baroda.

Also in the side is fit-again medium pacer Rajesh Verma.

Amol Muzumdar will lead the team for the entire season.

The four players left out by the Mumbai selectors are opener Vinayak Mane, middle order batsman Bhavin Thakkar, medium pacer Mundeep Mungela and all-rounder Wilkin Mota.

Mumbai, following their comprehensive and successive innings victories over Gujarat and Rajasthan, have 10 points in their kitty and are keen to gain four points, and a bonus one too if possible, which would gain them a berth in the semi-finals.

The team: Amol Muzumdar (capt), Wasim Jaffer, Sahil Kukreja, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Ramesh Powar, Vinayak Samant (wk), Abhishek Nair, Swapnil Hazare, Ajit Agarkar, Nilesh Kulkarni, Zaheer Khan, Rajesh Verma, Prashant Naik and Hiken Shah.