MSC Maratha Royals, the defending champions of the T20 Mumbai League, launched their new jersey for the 2026 season at a special event in Mumbai on Thursday, 28 May, with captain Siddhesh Lad, head coach Amit Dani, and franchise owners in attendance. Themed 'The Royal Roar', the kit blends Maharashtra's heritage with a bold contemporary aesthetic as the team signals its intent to defend the title.

The Jersey: Design and Identity

The new strip is built around a predatory tiger motif — featuring metallic gold claw marks, subtle tiger-stripe textures woven into the fabric, and a phantom tiger graphic embedded as a hidden detail. A heritage orange upper body represents energy, passion, and Maharashtra's valour, while midnight navy sleeves and lower body convey composure and resilience. Liquid gold accent detailing ties the look together, reinforcing the franchise's championship ambitions.

The campaign tagline — 'Bhag Bhag Bhag, Aya Sher' — draws from Mumbai's street energy, hip-hop culture, and Bollywood familiarity, positioning the Maratha Royals as a modern sports brand rooted in the city's identity.

Owners Set the Tone

Franchise owners Kapil Baheti and Alisha Baheti said the jersey represents more than a design refresh. 'As defending champions, we wanted this jersey and campaign to stand for more than just cricket. It reflects the fearless attitude of our team and the spirit of Mumbai. This is not just a design refresh, but a clear statement of intent to play bold, fearless cricket this season,' they said at the launch.

Co-owners Mayank Khandwala and Raj Khandwala added: 'Defending a title brings a different level of challenge, and that's what drives us. With 'The Royal Roar', we're promising our fans a team that returns more focused, more determined, and ready to prove that last season was just the beginning.'

Squad Strength and Key Attractions

The Maratha Royals have retained 10 players from their title-winning squad and added new faces, with the team in camp since 4 May and several practice matches already completed. Pacer Tushar Deshpande — who has featured for the Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings, and Rajasthan Royals in the IPL — is expected to be the team's marquee attraction this season.

'Tushar Deshpande will be available for the entire season. Besides being the main bowler for the team, he will be an inspiration for the young bowlers as they can learn from him,' said coach Dani. The full squad includes Chinmay Sutar, Rohan Raje, Maxwell Swaminathan, Arjun Dani, Ayaz Khan, Sahil Jadhav, Sachin Yadav, Pratik Shukla, Shreyanssh Rai, Swaraj Parulkar, Om Bangar, Irfan Umair, Atharva Bhosale, Aryan Patni, Yash Gadia, Shreyas Gurav, Jitendra Paliwal, and Aditya Dhumal.

Scoring Expectations and the Sooryavanshi Effect

The press conference was dominated by questions about whether the league could produce a talent comparable to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals sensation who hammered 94 off 28 balls in the IPL 2026, accumulating over 600 runs at a strike rate of 230. Captain Lad acknowledged the shift in T20 batting norms, noting that aggressive top-order play has made scores of 250-plus increasingly common.

'Last season, we had the monsoon setting in early and the wickets were a bit damp. Still, teams managed to score around 190. I expect in the first half of the MPL 2026, we may have teams going past 200,' said Lad. Coach Dani pointed to Mumbai's track record of producing aggressive batters — citing Ayush Mhatre, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Prithvi Shaw — as reason for optimism about the league's talent pipeline.

What to Watch This Season

With Deshpande anchoring the bowling attack and a retained core providing continuity, the Maratha Royals enter the T20 Mumbai League 2026 as both favourites and targets. Whether the league surfaces the next Sooryavanshi remains to be seen, but the defending champions have made clear they intend to set the standard on and off the field.