T20 Mumbai League 2025: Sairaj Patil Emerges As Premier All-Round Talent

All-rounder Sairaj Patil has been in the shadows for a while on the Mumbai set-up but the T20 Mumbai League 2025 has certainly provided him with much needed platform to showcase his inherent talent and he lapped up the opportunity with both hands.

The 28-year-old Sairaj has emerged as one of the most promising all-rounders in Mumbai’s domestic cricket scene. The Palghar man has consistently impressed in both the T20 and List A formats, showcasing a rare blend of explosive batting and handy medium-pace bowling.

A clean striker of the ball, Sairaj is particularly known for his power hitting and composure against spin—traits that have made him a mainstay in Mumbai’s white-ball setup. His recent exploits in the T20 Mumbai League 2025 have significantly elevated his profile.

Representing Eagle Thane Strikers, he delivered a standout performance throughout the tournament, finishing as one of the top three run-scorers of the season.

Sairaj amassed 233 runs in just six matches at an impressive strike rate of 150.32, including two half-centuries. He also claimed seven wickets, playing a pivotal role in Eagle Thane Strikers’ semi-finals finish. His match-winning unbeaten 47 off 22 against Suryakumar Yadav-led Triumph Knights Mumbai North East set the tone for the season and earned plaudits.

His stellar all-round show earned him the Man of the Tournament award and further strengthened his case for opportunities at the highest level.

"It was a great experience. Whatever I had planned and thought of I was able to execute," he said, about his third season at the T20 Mumbai League.

Sairaj was in good nick prior to the league also and spoke about his preparation.

"Before the T20 Mumbai League, I had played many matches in Mumbai. I was the man-of-the-series in the MCA Corporate Trophy 'A' Division T20 tournament where I was representing Jain Irrigation. I had scored back to back 100s including a 40-ball one. I was dominating Mumbai cricket and I was eagerly waiting for T20 Mumbai League to relaunch because it was coming back after a gap of six years. In the final, I scored a 40-ball hundred against DY Patil 'A'," he added.

One of his best knocks of the league was the 47 off 22 balls against Triumph Knights Mumbai North East with India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav in the ranks.

"That was the season's first game and we were playing under lights at DY Patil Stadium. We were bowling first and Triumph Knights scored around 180 odd. I had bowled around three overs so I had a fair idea of how the wicket was behaving. So I knew when if I stayed till the end while batting then we would be able to chase it down. So, I targeted the bowlers accordingly," Sairaj explained.

Playing against his old friend and Mumbai team-mate Suryakumar Yadav was a memorable experience for Sairaj as well.

"It was a nice experience to play against a team which had Suryakumar Yadav in the ranks. Surya bhai is a good friend of mine and I know him from the Mumbai set up and we have played Vijay Hazare Trophy since the last seven years. So I have an idea about his captaincy style and his behaviour on the field, off the field. So that camaraderie has been great between us and to perform in front of him live in a match always feels good."

With regard to his batting style, Sairaj spoke about the hard yards he put in at his hometown of Palghar.

"I do my practice and training in Palghar. In a day, I face a minimum of around 500-1000 balls a day. So I put in a lot of work with my coaches Bharat Chambre (childhood coach) and Prashant Shetty for batting. I have a mentor called Sairaj sir and he has helped me a lot as well."

Sairaj's go-to shots are the Pull shot against pacers and the straight six down the bowler's head against spinners.

With regard to his future plans, the aim is to eventually represent India, make it into one of the IPL teams and win more matches for Mumbai.

The all-rounder credits his parents and especially his father for his growth as a cricketer.

"With regard to my cricketing journey, my parents have played a major role and especially my father. My father has been instrumental in developing cricket in Palghar and producing some top players from there such as Shardul Thakur, Hardik Tamore, myself etc. It is all because of him."

Sairaj's father Bipin Patil was a senior manager in Tata Steel and is now retired. They run a club called the Palghar Dahanu Taluka Sports Association (PDTSA) which was established in 1998 and has served as a cradle for some prominent cricketers to emerge.

The Mumbai lad has still not given up on his India dream and IPL hopes.

"Yes, absolutely, I still haven't given up on playing for India. Basically, I'm an all-rounder and since last five years I'm in the team but I don't get an opportunity to play because Shivam Dube and Shardul Thakur are both India players. So, I get an opportunity only when these two players are not available to play. So, a tournament like T20 Mumbai League was very important for a player like me because I don't get to play for Mumbai enough because of India players in the XI but here I get an opportunity to be seen by IPL teams. It becomes a little easier. The T20 Mumbai League has definitely helped me a lot."

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