Siddhesh Lad

Siddhesh Lad has carved out a reputation as one of Mumbai's most dependable middle-order batters, with a career built around patience, a strong defence and the ability to produce runs when his team needs them most. The son of coach Dinesh Lad, he progressed through Mumbai's age-group system before making his first-class debut in the 2013-14 Ranji Trophy. He also made his List A and T20 debut in the same year and quickly became known as Mumbai's "crisis man", with his temperament particularly valuable in difficult situations.

One of the defining moments of his early career came in the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy final against Saurashtra. With Mumbai in trouble, Lad produced a composed 88 and shared a record 103-run partnership for the 10th wicket with Balwinder Sandhu, helping his side establish a decisive first-innings lead on their way to the title.

Lad continued to be one of Mumbai's most consistent batters and enjoyed an outstanding 2017-18 Ranji Trophy campaign, finishing as the team's leading run-scorer with 652 runs in seven matches at an average of 59.27. His performances also earned him recognition beyond the domestic circuit, and he became part of the Mumbai Indians setup in 2015. After waiting several seasons for an opportunity, he finally made his IPL debut in 2019 against Kings XI Punjab, scoring 15 off 13 balls.

His domestic career later took him away from Mumbai, with Lad representing Goa before eventually returning to his home state. That comeback proved to be a major turning point. After a period in which he had even contemplated stepping away from cricket, he produced the most prolific Ranji Trophy season of his career in 2025-26. Leading Mumbai's batting, Lad amassed 774 runs in eight matches at an average of 77.40, with five centuries and a highest score of 170. He crossed 700 runs in a Ranji season for the first time and became only the third Mumbai batter after Rusi Modi and Sachin Tendulkar to score centuries in four consecutive innings.

The remarkable campaign also brought a new responsibility as Lad took over the Mumbai captaincy during the season. His form and leadership made him a central figure in the side, and his performances against Hyderabad and Delhi included centuries that underlined his consistency throughout the campaign. By the end of the season, he had firmly re-established himself as one of Mumbai's senior leaders and replaced Shardul Thakur as full-time captain for the 2026/27 Ranji Trophy.