Bengal has announced its squad for the first two matches of the upcoming Ranji Trophy season, with some notable inclusions and exclusions. While veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami is still recovering from an injury, his younger brother Kaif has been named in the squad. The team will also benefit from the return of experienced wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, adding depth to the Anustup Majumdar-led side.

Shami Out, Kaif In Mohammed Shami, who is undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), will not feature in the initial matches of Bengal’s Ranji Trophy campaign. Although Shami is working on regaining full fitness, it was unlikely that he would be ready in time for Bengal’s opening match against Uttar Pradesh on October 11 in Lucknow. Instead, Kaif, his brother, has been included in the squad, stepping in to represent the family.

The Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar Boost Pacers Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar, two of Bengal’s most reliable bowlers, have also been named in the squad. Akash Deep, fresh off his recent performances for India in the Test series against Bangladesh, will be a key player in Bengal’s pace attack. Mukesh Kumar has been in outstanding form, having impressed in the Duleep Trophy and Irani Cup, where he consistently troubled opposition batsmen with his swing and pace. The duo’s form with the red-ball will be crucial as Bengal looks to make a strong start in the competition.

Bengal Squad for First Two Ranji Matches The squad features a mix of experience and youth, with skipper Anustup Majumdar leading a team full of potential. Alongside the returning Saha and promising pacers, Bengal will look to continue their strong domestic cricket presence.

Full Squad: Anustup Majumdar (C), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Kumar Gharami, Sudip Chatterjee, Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Shahbaz Ahmed, Abishek Porel (WK), Writtick Chatterjee, Avilin Ghosh, Shuvam Dey, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Mohammad Kaif, Pradipta Pramanik, Aamir Gani, Yudhajit Guha, Rohit Kumar, Rishav Vivek

Bengal will be looking to kick off their campaign with a strong showing as they take on Uttar Pradesh in their opening game in Lucknow.

Delhi has named its 18-member squad for the first two games of the upcoming Ranji Trophy season, with Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant naturally excluded from the list despite being part of the 84-member probable squad. Delhi will face Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu in their opening fixtures, with Kohli and Pant’s exclusion coming as no surprise given their commitments to the Indian team.

No Kohli and Pant for Delhi

Virat Kohli, who is currently a two-format player for India, last represented his state side in the 2012-13 season. With the batter now 35 and coming off a packed international schedule, including an upcoming Test series against New Zealand starting October 16, his rest days have become a priority. Meanwhile, Delhi begins their Ranji Trophy campaign on October 11, leading to Kohli’s exclusion from the squad.

Similarly, Rishabh Pant, having been active in cricket since his IPL 2024 comeback, has been given rest by the BCCI. The wicketkeeper-batter, pivotal to India’s Test team, will sit out the T20Is against Bangladesh.

Simarjeet Singh’s Fitness Under the Scanner

Another key name, CSK pacer Simarjeet Singh, is only included conditionally—dependent on his fitness clearance. He had a stellar performance in the Delhi Premier League T20 2024, taking 18 wickets with a bowling strike rate of 12.00. However, if he is deemed unfit, Divij Mehra will replace him.

Notable Absence of Priyansh Arya

Despite stellar performances in the DPL T20, where he amassed 608 runs with a strike rate of 198.7 and an average of 67.5, Priyansh Arya was left out of the Ranji squad. His six sixes in a single DPL match were eye-catching, but Delhi’s lineup features other batting talents.

Delhi’s Squad for First Two Ranji Games

• Himmat Singh (C), Ayush Badoni, Anuj Rawat (W.K), Sanat Sangwan, Dhruv Kaushik, Yash Dhull, Jonty Sidhu, Mayank Rawat, Kshitiz Sharma, Pranav Rajuvanshi (W.K), Sumit Mathur, Navdeep Saini, Himanshu Chauhan, Simarjeet Singh* / Divij Mehra, Hrithik Shokeen, Harsh Tyagi, Money Grewal, Shivank Vashisth

Note: If Simarjeet Singh is unfit, Divij Mehra will replace him. Any unfit player will not travel or remain with the team until cleared by the Physio.

Drawn in the Elite Group A of the Ranji Trophy, Delhi faces tough competition against teams like Tamil Nadu and Saurashtra as they kick off their campaign.

In the Group C fixtures of the ongoing Ranji Trophy, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka showcased their batting prowess, dominating their respective matches.

In Agartala, Sudip Chatterjee and Ganesh Satish’s impressive fifties, coupled with a crucial 147-run partnership, put Tripura in the driver’s seat against Railways. Manisankar Murasingh’s five-wicket haul further bolstered Tripura’s position.

Over in Salem, Tamil Nadu’s Baba Indrajith and Vijay Shankar stole the show with magnificent centuries, forming a formidable 281-run partnership against Punjab. The hosts’ bowlers also made significant contributions, enhancing Tamil Nadu’s position in the match.

In Hubli, Manish Pandey’s captivating century, supported by Mayank Agarwal’s fifty, propelled Karnataka to a commanding position against Chandigarh.

Meanwhile, in Porvorim, Priyank Panchal’s unbeaten 150 stood out as Gujarat’s saving grace against Goa after the rest of the visitors’ batting lineup faltered.

The Group C encounters witnessed a flurry of impressive performances, setting the stage for thrilling contests in the remainder of the matches.

In the latest Ranji Trophy Group A action, Saurashtra showcased their batting prowess in Rajkot. Arpit Vasavada and Prerak Mankad set the stage with centuries, followed by a blazing ton from Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored at less than a run-a-ball pace.

Meanwhile, in Jamshedpur, Saurabh Shekhar and Anukul Roy led Jharkhand’s fightback against Rajasthan, preventing a significant first innings lead.

Nagpur witnessed a battle between Haryana’s Nishant Sandhu, who remained unbeaten with a century, and Vidarbha’s bowlers, who managed to chip away at the wickets. Vidarbha’s lower order, bolstered by Aditya Sarwate’s explosive 99, contributed significantly to the team’s total.

In Delhi, Services’ batters held firm against Maharashtra’s bowlers, although their slow scoring rate left them trailing by a narrow margin at the end of the day.

The Ranji Trophy Group A encounters continue to provide thrilling cricket action across various venues.