The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has long been a cradle of Indian cricketing greatness, producing legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma and more recently, Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Jaiswal, a rising star has already left his mark on the international stage with his fearless batting. He was also part of the recent India team that secured a stunning 2-2 comeback draw during the five-match Test tour England.
However, in a surprising move in April, the 23-year-old southpaw requested a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the MCA to shift his domestic allegiance to Goa. That decision that raised eyebrows across the cricketing fraternity.
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But just a month later, Jaiswal made a dramatic U-turn in May. He asked the MCA to withdraw the NOC after a conversation with India captain Rohit, who urged his opening partner to reconsider his decision to switch allegiances..
Why did Yashasvi Jaiswal stay with Mumbai Ranji team?
Jaiswal's request for the NOC had come just a month after their Ranji Trophy semi-final against Vidarbha.
Despite the 42-time Ranji Trophy champions' approval in April, the association seemed kind enough to let the batter backtrack in May.
During his interview with the Mumbai Mirror's Gaurav Gupta, the MCA president Ajinkya Naik spoke about Rohit's role in helping Mumbai retain the services of the left-handed batter.
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"Rohit asked Yashasvi to stay on in Mumbai at this stage of his career. He explained to Yashasvi that there was a lot of pride and prestige in playing for a team like Mumbai, which has won the Ranji Trophy a record 42 times," said Ajinkya Naik.
According to Naik, Jaiswal spoke with Rohit and other star players from Mumbai before reconsidering his move.
"Rohit also told Yashasvi that he must not forget that it was because of Mumbai cricket that he got a platform to show his talent and go on to play for India, and he must be grateful to the city for that. It was here in Mumbai that he started playing cricket on the maidans and then was picked for all the age group teams of Mumbai," he continued.
"After discussing this with Rohit and a few other stalwarts who represented India and Mumbai, Jaiswal sent an email to us requesting us to withdraw his NOC for a shift to Goa. We approved his request," Naik further revealed.
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Notably, Arjun Tendulkar is another player from Mumbai, who plays for Goa and was a crucial cog in guiding Goa to a promotion from Plate Group to Elite Group.
Siddhesh Lad was one of the notable names who went to Goa from Mumbai, before eventually returning home.