IPL: Rahane joins Mumbai

Promising opening batsman Ajinkya Rahane and Mumbai all-rounder Abhishek Nayar are among the four domestic players to be roped in the Reliance Industries Limited-owned Mumbai team.

Promising opening batsman Ajinkya Rahane and Mumbai all-rounder Abhishek Nayar are among the four domestic players to be roped in the Reliance Industries Limited-owned Mumbai team for the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL). Maharashtra's batsman-wicketkeeper Yogesh Takawale and Baroda's wicketkeeper-batsman Pinal Shah are the other signings.

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With these four signings, the Mumbai team now has 12 cricketers, four less than the mandatory mark of 16, on board.

While Rahane and Shah have been signed as under-22 player, Nayar and Takawale are from the catchment area.

Though Rahane, who is in Pune as a part of Mumbai's squad for the West Zone One-day tournament, was unavailable, a source close to him confirmed that the 19-year-old "signed the papers on Sunday".

Takawale, 23, also confirmed that he signed on Sunday.

"I am excited to be playing in such a unique tournament," he told Hindustan Times from Pune on Monday. "It will be a learning experience."

With two domestic wicketkeepers in their ranks, it seems that the Mumbai team, who preferred not to bid for any international wicketkeeper during last week's Player Auction, will not go for any other glovesman.

And it remains to be seen what role Rahane, who crossed the 1,000 run-mark in his maiden first-class season, is given in a team that boasts of the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya in their rank.