The 92nd edition of the Ranji Trophy begins on Sunday, bringing together established India internationals and promising youngsters for the country’s premier domestic red-ball tournament.
Several prominent players will appear for their respective state teams in the opening round before joining the India A squad for a three-match red-ball tour of New Zealand.
Defending champions Jammu and Kashmir will attract considerable attention after securing their maiden title last season.
Auqib Nabi’s impressive 60-wicket campaign helped establish his credentials before he made his international debut against the West Indies in Guwahati last month.
The Paras Dogra-led side will open its campaign against Madhya Pradesh in Srinagar, seeking to recover from its Irani Cup defeat against Rest of India.
KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep are among the international players expected to feature.
Mumbai’s Sarfaraz Khan and Karnataka’s Karun Nair will look to strengthen their cases for a return to the national set-up.
Young players, including Mumbai’s Ayush Mhatre and Jharkhand opener Shikhar Mohan, will aim to make an impression.
Mohammed Shami returns after taking 37 wickets last season. Representing Bengal alongside Mukesh and Akash, he will seek to regain his place in India’s Test squad.
Bengal face Delhi in Kalyani, where the visitors will begin their campaign under a revamped support staff led by head coach Vijay Dahiya, with Rajkumar Sharma serving as mentor.
Selectors will monitor Vidarbha’s Harsh Dubey, Praful Hinge and Yash Rathod, along with Uttar Pradesh leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari.
Experienced players such as Umesh Yadav, Harshal Patel, Mandeep Singh and Hanuma Vihari will provide leadership across their teams.
First-round broadcast: Jammu and Kashmir vs Madhya Pradesh will be available on JioHotstar and Star Sports Khel. Punjab vs Assam and Bengal vs Delhi will stream on JioHotstar.
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