Rishabh Pant Set to Captain Rest of India in Irani Cup 2026-27
Sarfaraz Khan has been appointed as Rishabh Pant’s deputy for the Irani Cup 2026-27. Rest of India will face Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir in a five-day match in Srinagar from October 1 to 5.
It is a significant event for cricket in the region, as it is the first time the Irani Cup has been hosted in Srinagar. Consequently, the match is of particular significance.
The squad’s composition has been influenced by a congested international calendar. On September 27, the India versus West Indies ODI series commences in Thiruvananthapuram, and Asian Games cricket commences the following day on September 28, rendering several key India players unavailable for the Irani Cup.
What is the reason for Rishabh Pant’s appointment as the commander of this match?
The selectors needed a commander from outside of those two squads due to the fact that a number of senior India players were either scheduled to participate in the ODI series against the West Indies or the Asian Games cricket tournament. Rishabh Pant, who will also serve as the team’s wicketkeeper, fulfills this prerequisite and contributes significant first-class experience to the position.
The leadership group is further stabilized by Sarfaraz Khan’s appointment as vice-captain. In recent seasons, Sarfaraz has been one of the more consistent performers in domestic red-ball cricket, and his partnership with Pant provides the team with a stable lineup for a challenging five-day match.
What is the impact of the scheduling overlap on the Irani Cup fixture?
The Irani Cup 2026-27 commences four days following the commencement of the ODI series against the West Indies and three days following the commencement of Asian Games cricket. The Srinagar fixture is scheduled to commence on October 1, and the players who were chosen for either of those assignments will not be available.
This has resulted in the selectors favoring domestic performers who are not part of the national organization for the concurrent events. The Irani Cup is scheduled to conclude on October 5, so there is no conflict at the conclusion of the match. However, the initial days of the tournament coincide with both international obligations. In the end, the squad is a combination of seasoned domestic players and those who have been advocating for increased recognition at the highest level.
The complete squad for the Irani Cup 2026-27 in the rest of India is as follows:
Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Sanat Sangwan, Shikhar Mohan, Sudip Gharami, Sarfaraz Khan (vc), Smaran Ravichandran, Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain, Akash Deep*, Mukesh Kumar, Mukesh Choudhary, Aryan Juyal (wk), Aryan Pandey, Anukul Roy, Ayush Doseja
