MUMBAI, Nov. 17 -- The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has not been too welcoming of their homegrown players who opt to play for other states, especially if the player is past 30. The focus is on grooming young talent. However, the Mumbai selectors have made exceptions for the 33-year-old Siddhesh Lad and 31-year-old Akhil Herwadkar. The decision to take back the duo has proved right. After playing a couple of crucial knocks last season, Lad has hit top form this season while Herwadkar marked his comeback game on Sunday with a fine 86, in Mumbai's Ranji Trophy Elite League match against Pondicherry. On the first day of the four-day game at the Wankhede Stadium, the home team were served well by the left-handed Herwadkar, Musheer Khan's knock of 84, and Lad's unbeaten 80. Seasoned batter Sarfaraz Khan was not out on 29 as Mumbai finished the day on 317/3 after being put into bat. Lad, who had opted to move to Goa in 2022, began the new season with a bang, having scored two hundreds and an 80 in six innings. Herwadkar, whose last match for Mumbai was in 2018, got a game against Pondicherry after Ajinkya Rahane opted to skip the game due to personal reasons. Influenced by the grass cover on the pitch, Pondicherry captain Sagar Udershi elected to field. He was left to rue the decision as in the company of Ayush Mhatre (35), Musheer got Mumbai off to a brisk start with an opening stand of 54 off 61 balls. After Mhatre fell to a loose shot outside the off-stump, Musheer added 119 runs with Herwadkar. Both missed out on a good chance to get a hundred, falling in the 80s, but after their exit, Lad and Sarfaraz consolidated with an unfinished partnership of 80. Mumbai have got the results this season and Lad has made a difference with his run spree. "I feel Siddhesh's mindset is clear, he has understood his game well. It is the same for me, I know my game well," said Herwadkar. Regarding his decision to return to Mumbai, the left-hand batter said: "I was not getting (enough) chances here, I had not performed well, so I went to Chhattisgarh but after playing one season outside I realized how prestigious it is to play for Mumbai. The feeling to play for Mumbai is special and it was my goal to play again for Mumbai." Brief scores (select matches): Mumbai 317/3 (Akhil Herwadkar 86, Musheer Khan 84, Siddhesh Lad 80 batting) vs Pondicherry; Maharashtra 275/5 (Arshin Kulkarni 133, Prithvi Shaw 74) vs Punjab; Saurashtra 317/4 (Prerak Mankad 88 batting, Arpit Vasavada 81, Jay Gohil 68) vs Goa....