Divyaansh Saxena determined to exploit Mumbai chance after openings arise

Divyaansh Saxena said he is determined to make the most of limited opportunities for Mumbai this season after Ayush Mhatre’s injury and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s India call-up opened the door for him, the 25-year-old said on November 1, 2026 in Mumbai.

Three years ago Saxena made his First Class debut for Mumbai but has played just three matches since. Runs scored outside did not translate into regular selection, as a crowded Mumbai batting line-up kept him on the fringes. Several of his India under-19 World Cup teammates, including Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma, have progressed to higher levels while Saxena waited for chances. He has been aiming to convert starts into big scores when given an opportunity.

His returns this season have been meagre — nine against Himachal Pradesh, 10 against Haryana and an unbeaten 30.

That unbeaten 30 arrived during a modest chase on a turning track, when he combined with Angkrish Raghuvanshi to steer Mumbai to a bonus-point win.

Saxena reflected on the progress of his under-19 peers and his own belief, saying: “Among the batters from my under-19 batch, Tilak and many are playing in the IPL and for India. I always believed that I was capable too. It was just about getting the right opportunities and performing when those chances came.”

Speaking of advice from Mumbai’s mentor, Saxena relayed Patil’s encouragement: “He keeps reminding me that it is okay if you miss out in one or two innings. But whenever you get a start, you should go out there and score a big hundred, a daddy hundred,” Saxena said.

“Of course, it was very frustrating for three or four years. I wasn’t getting chances despite scoring runs. But that opportunity has finally come, and now I am thinking about how I can make the best use of it,” Saxena said.