After a successful Ranji Trophy season with both bat and ball, Mumbai all-rounder Abhishek Nayar has a new challenge facing him – that of leading his team in the Irani Cup against Rest Of India (ROI) in the absence of the injured Ajit Agarkar. This will be the first time that Nayar will lead Mumbai at the senior level, and while doing so he hopes to seek guidance from the senior pros in the team, including a certain Sachin Tendulkar. "It will be a challenge,” Nayar said of the captaincy. “I will be leading Mumbai for the first time at the senior level. It will be a big challenge, but I have people to help me, like Sachin [Tendulkar], Rohit [Sharma] and Ajinkya [Rahane].

“I think with their help, the work will become easier. I think I will obviously enjoy it. It does add a bit of pressure. With the help of my teammates, hopefully, we can have a good game,” Nayar said.

To add to Nayar’s challenge, he will be leading a side without two of Mumbai’s leading pacers, Zaheer Khan and Agarkar. That will leave the in-form Dhawal Kulkarni to lead the attack along with his inexperienced bowling colleagues. Nayar admits the weakened attack will be under pressure against the strong ROI batting line-up comprising the likes of Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina. However, he also backed his young bowlers to stand their ground against strong opponents. "We obviously have a young attack. We have got four bowlers who are almost playing their first season. It is not going to be as easy, but I think it is a chance for someone to step up and show what they are worth.

“It is an opportunity for everyone. Hopefully, we can deliver. Whatever we have been doing in the nets, hopefully, we can implement that in the match and give our best," he said.

Reflecting on his team’s strengths and weaknesses, the interim Mumbai captain said, “We look good as a batting unit, but the bowling is a bit inexperienced.

"Obviously Ajit not being there is a bit of a setback. But Dhawal has been bowling exceptionally well and we have been batting pretty well. With Ajinkya and Rohit coming back into the side, hopefully, we have a strong enough side to beat Rest Of India this time around," said Nayar.

While Mumbai have won 14 Irani Cup titles, they have been unable to get their hands around the coveted trophy in their last six attempts.

Nayar is keen to set that record straight. "It is difficult to analyse all the six defeats. I have been part of Irani Trophy losing team twice or thrice and I’m not very proud of it. We will try and do the right things. This time we have just come out of a Ranji Trophy victory,” he said.