Mumbai are set to play the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy matches at home from Friday, but they don’t have what would have been another advantage — India ‘A’ speedster Tushar Deshpande.
Deshpande was the second highest wicket-taker (19 wickets) in the same tournament last year, but his name did not figure in the team picked by the Milind Rege-led senior selection committee on Monday. While news of Deshpande’s dropping became a talking point in the city’s cricketing circles, Rege chose not to offer any comment on the decision.

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It is learnt that there was a heated debate among the selectors (Rege, Sanjay Patil, Pradeep Kasliwal, Sridhar Mandle and Guru Gupte) in the one-hour meeting. Deshpande clocked 140kmph-plus while playing for India ‘A’ in the recent series against their Sri Lankan and South African opponents.