Mumbai Pacer Tushar Desharde made a remarkable comeback to red-ball cricket when he was hit with severe bronchitis during the Ranji trophy. Despite struggling with breathing on the opening day of the match, the right-arm fast bowler continued to play.
DeshPande made a comeback to red-ball cricket after an 18-month hiatus. On the opening day, he struggled with hot breath at the high-altitude Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar. However, he helped the team win the 2025-26 Ranji trophy against Jammu and Kashmir.
Tushar DeshPande’s bowling helps Mumbai to a safe win in the Ranji Trophy
According to a report by Rajasthan Royals, Tushar Deshpande was struggling to breathe while warming up on the opening day. Pacer rushed to a hospital for treatment and the doctors were uncertain about his participation in the match.
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Mumbai were bowled out for 386 runs in their first innings. DeshPande, still not fully recovered, insisted on returning to the pot on the second day. The fast bowler pushed through the pain, scoring 35 overs across two innings and taking four wickets.
He won widespread admiration for his unwavering commitment to the game. Mumbai celebrated its 35th victory on Saturday, October 18.
I was drained within 10 seconds during warm-up – Tushar DeshPande
Speaking to Rajasthan Royals, Tushar Deshpande described the match as important for both the team and himself. He also revealed that he blacked out briefly during warm-ups, but that his determination for the team helped him take the field.
“It was an important game for us and for me personally. Jammu and Kashmir had also beaten us this season and we wanted to start this campaign on the right note. It was also big for me to be back in the Ranji after a year and a half,” said DeshPande.
“During the warm-up, I was fired for 10 seconds, but wanting to do it for my team helped me a lot,” he said.
After the match, the Mumbai team went home to celebrate Diwali. They will now focus on their next Ranji trophy clash against Chhattisgarh, starting on October 25 at the Wankhede Stadium.
Tushar Deshpande has had a mixed IPL 2025 season after undergoing ankle surgery
Tushar Deshpande missed the 2024-25 domestic season due to ankle surgery but made a comeback in IPL 2025 after being bought by Rajasthan Royals for INR 6.5 crore.
However, he performed inconsistently with his Jaipur-based team. He took nine wickets in 10 matches at an average of 37.77 at a costly economy rate of 10.63.
DeshPande played a first-class game and averaged 29.67, including five five-wicket hauls with best figures of 6/70. He made his international debut in 2024 during a T20I match against Zimbabwe.
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