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Having missed out on selection for the upcoming West Indies ODIs, Rishabh Pant has been handed the captaincy for the Rest of India squad as they prepare to face 2025-26 Ranji Trophy winners Jammu & Kashmir in the Irani Cup 2026. Meanwhile, top-order batter Sarfaraz Khan will serve as Pant's vice-captain for the clash.
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The squad could also welcome back fast bowler Akash Deep following a long layoff due to a lower-back stress fracture, though his inclusion remains conditional on passing a final fitness evaluation. In a notable twist, his previous competitive appearance came against the same Jammu & Kashmir side during the Ranji Trophy back in February 2026.
Rest of India's bowling unit boasts additional seam coverage from Mukesh Kumar, Mukesh Choudhary, and Aryan Pandey. The slow-bowling attack will be led by Anukul Roy, who joins forces with Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain following their recent call-ups for the Test series in Sri Lanka. The batting lineup is further strengthened by R Smaran and Ayush Doseja, who finished as the leading run-getters in the most recent Ranji Trophy season.
The domestic showcase is scheduled to take place at Srinagar's Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium, running from October 1 through October 5.
Rest of India squad for Irani Cup:
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
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