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.

Delhi Capitals (DC) have announced that they will be retaining their IPL 2024 skipper, Rishabh Pant, for the 2025 season. Owner Parth Jindal confirmed that Pant will continue to be part of the team after making his comeback to competitive cricket earlier this year.

In an interview with IANS, Jindal said, “Yes, we definitely have to retain. We have some very good players in our team. The rules have just come out, so after discussing with GMR and our director of cricket, Sourav Ganguly, decisions will be made. Rishabh Pant will definitely be retained.”

Hisar, Haryana: Chairman and co-owner of IPL Team Delhi Capitals, Parth Jindal says, "Yes, we definitely have to retain. We have some very good players in our team. The rules have just come out, so after discussing with GMR and our director of cricket, Sourav Ganguly, decisions… pic.twitter.com/TgXsYsBAW9

— IANS (@ians_india) October 2, 2024

Pant has been a key figure for the Delhi-based franchise, and his retention underscores his role as a pivotal player in the team’s strategy moving forward.

Jindal also mentioned other players likely to be retained, including Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Abhishek Porel. He commented, “We also have Axar Patel, who is excellent, Criston Stubbs, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhishek Porel, Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed— all very good players in our team. We’ll see what happens in the auction. But first, as per the rule, we can retain six players. After discussions, we will proceed with the auction and see what happens.”

With the IPL 2025 mega auction rules allowing teams to retain six players, DC will have to strategize and make crucial decisions on which core players to keep before heading into the auction.

As India prepares for the 3rd ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo, there are growing calls for changes in the team. After a tied game and a 32-run loss, India is on the brink of ending their 27-year dominance over Sri Lanka in ODI cricket. The Lankan Lions are just one win away from securing their first ODI series win against India since 1997.

Current Situation:

• Middle-Order Struggles: India’s middle-order has underperformed in the series so far. While Rohit Sharma has set solid foundations with two fifties, players like KL Rahul and Shivam Dube have failed to support him. Rahul scored 31 runs in the first ODI but was dismissed for a duck in the second. Dube showed promise in the first match but struggled against Sri Lankan spin in the second.
• Need for Change: Given the conditions in Colombo, which favor spin bowling, there are calls to replace Dube with Riyan Parag. Parag’s spin bowling skills could be an asset on a slow pitch. Additionally, including Rishabh Pant is being considered as a potential replacement for KL Rahul. Pant’s aggressive batting style could provide a much-needed boost.

Predicted India Playing XI for 3rd ODI:

Why Consider Changes?

• Spin-Friendly Conditions: With the pitch in Colombo expected to become slower, Riyan Parag’s spin bowling could complement the existing spin options of Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav.
• Pant’s Aggression: Rishabh Pant’s aggressive batting might offer a different dynamic, particularly in challenging conditions where quick scoring is crucial.

The final decision on the playing XI will be influenced by the pitch conditions and the team management’s strategy. While KL Rahul’s past performances have been strong, the current situation may call for adjustments to turn the series in India’s favor.

The Delhi Premier League (DPL) is set to make its debut on August 17, with a lineup featuring some prominent names from Indian cricket. Rishabh Pant, Navdeep Saini, and Harshit Rana are among the key players confirmed for the inaugural season, which will be held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Despite currently being in Sri Lanka, Pant and Rana are expected to participate as there are no international or domestic fixtures overlapping with the tournament’s schedule. Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) chief Rohan Jaitley confirmed that Pant has promised his involvement, barring any unforeseen national commitments. Saini and Rana are also set to join the action.

The DPL will feature six teams—West Delhi Lions, North Delhi Strikers, South Delhi Superstarz, Purani Delhi-6, Delhi Kings, and East Delhi Riders—following an auction on July 28, where the teams were sold for a total of Rs 49.65 crore. The league will consist of 40 games, with 33 matches for men and 7 for women. The women’s games will be part of a shorter series within the league.

The player draft includes 270 cricketers from Delhi’s national, U23, and U19 teams, with potential appearances from IPL veterans like Ishant Sharma, Yash Dhull, Mayank Yadav, and Anuj Rawat. While the first half of the league is clear of scheduling conflicts, the final, set for September 8, will overlap with the start of the Duleep Trophy on September 5.

Rishabh Pant, currently the third-highest run-scorer and fourth-most dismissals as a wicketkeeper in IPL history, faces an uncertain future with the Delhi Capitals (DC). Recent reports suggest that the DC management is unhappy with Pant’s captaincy and may not retain him for the IPL 2025 season.

The news follows Suryakumar Yadav’s recent appointment as India’s new T20I captain, replacing Hardik Pandya. Amid these developments, Sourav Ganguly, who is expected to become DC’s new head coach, is reportedly keen on keeping Pant. However, should Pant leave, he might join the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), a move that has sparked considerable interest.

CSK, led by the legendary MS Dhoni, could be looking for a new wicketkeeper and leader as Dhoni’s physical struggles and reduced involvement in recent seasons have raised questions about his future. Pant, at 26, is seen as a strong candidate to step into Dhoni’s shoes, potentially offering CSK a dynamic and experienced replacement.

With Dhoni possibly nearing the end of his career, Pant’s potential arrival could be a fitting transition for the Yellow Army.

Rishabh Pant won the best fielder award after India’s historic win over England in the T20 World Cup semifinal. India defeated the reigning champions by 68 runs to secure their place in the final. The special medal was presented to Pant by the beloved Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik.

Pant earned the award for his quick and nimble work behind the stumps. This is his second best fielder medal in the T20 World Cup. Although he had a tough day with the bat, scoring only four runs off six balls, Pant excelled in the field. He took the crucial catch of Jos Buttler and stumped Moeen Ali, outperforming other contenders like Ravindra Jadeja, Suryakumar Yadav, and Virat Kohli.

While presenting the medal, Karthik gave an emotional speech. He said, “There are many stories in sport but there are not many better than the person I am giving the medal to. What he’s gone through a year ago, I think six months ago, no one expected him to be in this team, not many would have expected him to play this sport this early. But for him to come out here and play the way he has done, all are very happy for him and he has made millions happy by just being on the field – Rishabh Pant.”

As India prepares for the T20 World Cup final, Pant’s stellar performance behind the stumps continues to be a key asset for the team.