Leaving india

Cricket World Cup League: Shubham Ranjane will walk into familiar territory at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 7, but in unfamiliar colours. Ranjane, 31 once played domestic cricket for Mumbai, and is in line to make his T20I debut - not for India, but for the United States of America – on day one of the Men’s T20 World Cup.

For Ranjane, it’s a chance to face the team he once aspired to represent, at the very ground where he honed his game. "When the World Cup schedule was announced, I came to know India and Sri Lanka are hosting it. But when fixtures were announced, India was in the same group as us and we are playing that game at Wankhede - knowing that, it was like a goosebump moment for me.

“I was also nervous as there are so many memories at Wankhede when I played for Mumbai for so many years. It's a historic stadium and playing at Wankhede is a very prestigious thing," Ranjane recalled in an exclusive conversation with IANS.