Mumbai skipper Siddhesh Lad, 34, and his deputy Ayush Mhatre, 19, exuded confidence at the 42-time Ranji Trophy champions’ pre-season press conference at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday. Lad, Mumbai’s crisis man and highest run-scorer last season with 774 runs, admitted there will be pressure of expectations, but insisted his team is ready to win a record 43rd title.

“I feel the pressure will always be there when you are representing Mumbai. But as a unit, we want to embrace it and not run away from it because we know the history and culture we have,” said Lad, who has scored 5,623 runs in 82 first-class matches.