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In a major announcement ahead of the prestigious Irani Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled the Rest of India (ROI) squad for the upcoming 2024 match against Ranji champions Mumbai.

Notably, Sanju Samson, a prominent name in Indian cricket, has been left out, while Ruturaj Gaikwad will captain the team in the highly anticipated clash.

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The match will take place at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow from October 1 to 5, 2024. Gaikwad, who has been in top form, will be supported by Abhimanyu Easwaran as his deputy.

Why is Sanju Samson excluded from the ROI Squad?

One of the most talked-about aspects of the squad announcement was the exclusion of Kerala’s Sanju Samson.

Samson, a well-known wicketkeeper-batter, was overlooked in favour of Dhruv Jurel and Ishan Kishan, who were included as wicket-keeping options for the Rest of India side.

The decision has surprised many, as Samson is a seasoned player with valuable experience. However, selectors appear to have prioritized Jurel, whose participation in the Irani Cup is contingent on his availability after India’s second Test against Bangladesh.

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Who will lead the batting and bowling line-up for Rest of India?

Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is coming off a successful Duleep Trophy campaign, will spearhead the batting for ROI. Gaikwad, along with Abhimanyu Easwaran and B Sai Sudharsan, forms a formidable top order.

Easwaran was particularly impressive in the Duleep Trophy, scoring 309 runs and earning praise for his consistency. Sudharsan, too, was one of the top performers in the same tournament, accumulating 211 runs. 

ROI's bowling attack looks just as potent as their batting. Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, and Prasidh Krishna will lead the pace department. Prasidh, in particular, has returned to form after recovering from injury and will be keen to make his presence felt.

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The spin department will be handled by Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain, both of whom have performed well in domestic competitions.

Full Rest of India Squad for the 2024 Irani Cup

Here’s the full squad:

  • Ruturaj Gaikwad (C)
  • Abhimanyu Easwaran (VC)
  • Sai Sudharsan
  • Devdutt Padikkal
  • Dhruv Jurel (WK)*
  • Ishan Kishan (WK)
  • Manav Suthar
  • Saransh Jain
  • Prasidh Krishna
  • Mukesh Kumar
  • Yash Dayal*
  • Ricky Bhui
  • Shashwat Rawat
  • Khaleel Ahmed
  • Rahul Chahar

*Note: Dhruv Jurel and Yash Dayal’s participation depends on their availability after the second Test against Bangladesh.

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Author(s)
Saurav Goyal Photo

Saurav Goyal is a content producer for The Sporting News’ India edition.