Mumbai want Rahane, Rohit Sharma for Ranji final

Mumbai: Mumbai, who entered the Ranji Trophy final on Monday by getting the better of Services, have asked the Cricket Board to release Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma for the January 26-30 title clash here against Saurashtra.

"We have written to the Board to release Ajinkya and Rohit for the final, if they are not included in the Indian playing eleven (in one-dayers against England). But Zaheer Khan is not fit to play the game as he is yet to recover from his injury," said Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) Joint Secretary Nitin Dalal. The last two ODIs against England are to be played at Mohali (January 23) and Dharamsala (January 27). While Rahane has opened the innings, without much success, in the first three ODIs of the ongoing series, Sharma has not found a place in the playing XI. Left-arm pacer Zaheer suffered a calf injury in the last league game against Gujarat and did not figure in the quarter- final and the semi-final. "He is under rehab," said Dalal. The MCA official said the Mumbai team for the Ranji final, to be held at the Wankhede Stadium, would be picked on January 23. While Mumbai are gunning for their 40th national crown, Saurashtra, whose key players Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja are also with the Indian one-day team, have made their maiden appearance in the title contest. PTI