Reports: Rift with Ajinkya Rahane, displeasure with Mumbai team management behind Yashasvi Jaiswal's move to Goa

India Test opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has taken a significant step in his domestic cricket journey by deciding to leave the Mumbai team and join Goa ahead of the 2025-26 season recently. The left-handed batter formally wrote to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) on Tuesday to express his intent to shift, and the governing body accepted his request.

While his international commitments with Team India may limit his availability, the opener is expected to feature for Goa whenever he is not on national duty and will be handed the captaincy.

"It was a very tough decision for me. Whatever I am today is because of Mumbai. The city has made me who I am, and all my life, I will be indebted to the MCA. Goa has thrown me a new opportunity and it has offered me a leadership role. My first goal will be to do well for India and whenever I'm not on national duty, I will be playing for Goa and try to make them go deep into the tournament. This was an (important) opportunity which came my way and I just took it," Jaiswal told The Indian Express.

However, a report in India Today presented a different side to the story, claiming that ‘people close to the situation’ revealed the young batter was unhappy with the constant scrutiny he faced within the Mumbai setup. The report pointed to a strained relationship between the left-handed cricketer and Mumbai’s first-class captain, Ajinkya Rahane.

According to the report, tensions between the two began in 2022, when the Mumbai domestic team captain reportedly sent off the Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer for sledging South Zone’s Ravi Teja after scoring a mammoth 265 off 323 balls. Moreover, after a poor outing against Jammu & Kashmir last season, the opener’s shot selection was questioned by Mumbai coach Omkar Salvi and Rahane. It was even claimed that the 23-year-old kicked the right-handed batter’s kitbag in frustration.

"In the contest against J&K last season, sources said Jaiswal had a rift with a senior member of the side in the second innings after the latter questioned his shot selection as Mumbai were battling to save the game. In reply, Jaiswal shot back at the senior, questioning his shot in the first innings," the report said.

"It is also believed Jaiswal's decision to move to Goa could be due to his displeasure with the Mumbai team management," another report had indicated.