Mumbai, Aug. 20: When Amol Muzumdar scores the 31 more runs required to become the highest run-getter in the history of the Ranji Trophy, he wouldn’t be achieving the landmark in front of his Mumbai home crowd.

The 34-year-old has ended his 16-year-long stint with Mumbai Ranji team to lead Assam. "Frankly speaking it wasn’t an easy decision to quit the team for whom I’ve been playing for so many years," Muzumdar said.

"But one has to move on and a deep thought has gone into it. It is a new challenge that I have taken and I hope my timing is right."

Earlier this month, Muzumdar was excluded from the Mumbai squad for the Buchi Babu tournament in Chennai. "The indication came in when I wasn’t in the Buchi Babu squad. For 15 days, I analysed the situation and then decided to move on.

"As a player I am surely unhappy with not achieving the milestone with the team I started with but that’s not the only goal I am playing for. I have signed a two-year contract with Assam and hope to achieve the goals that I have set for myself," he added.

The one thing that he would miss the most is the dressing room atmosphere. "There is a different kind of vibe that you get here, the atmosphere is lively which pumps you up," he said.