Domestic T20 cricket action is heating up as several state teams announced their respective squads on November 6 for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. With the tournament scheduled to get underway on November 14, selection committees have finalized their line-ups, introducing some major surprises and omissions. Prominent names like former captain Nitish Rana and experienced batter Mayank Agarwal have been left out of their respective state squads. Meanwhile, the Bihar Cricket Association also announced its squad for the tournament, handing the captaincy responsibility to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Ayush Badoni to Lead Delhi as Nitish Rana and Others Miss Out
Delhi has officially announced its 16-member squad for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, omitting experienced batsman and former skipper Nitish Rana from the side. The tournament is set to kick off on November 14. The 32-year-old Rana, who was a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad that won the IPL in 2024, served as Delhi's captain during the previous season of the SMAT. However, the team failed to progress beyond the group stage back then. For the upcoming season, Ayush Badoni has been appointed to lead the side. Delhi has been placed in Elite Group B alongside Bihar, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Railways, Saurashtra, and Tamil Nadu. All matches for this group will take place in Indore, and Delhi will begin its campaign on November 14 with a match against Jammu and Kashmir.
Delhi's 16-Member Squad for the Tournament
The selectors have picked a balanced 16-member squad for Delhi under the leadership of Ayush Badoni. The batting unit features Priyansh Arya, Sarthak Ranjan, Yash Dhull, Ayush Dosajha, Himmat Singh, and Mayank Rawat. Tejasvi and Anuj Rawat have been selected as wicketkeepers in the squad. The bowling and all-round department comprises Keshav Dabas, Suyash Sharma, Digvesh, Ishant Sharma, Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav, and Simarjeet Singh.
Ravitchandra Smaran Appointed Karnataka Captain as Mayank Agarwal and Shreyas Gopal Miss Selection
In another notable development, the Karnataka team has named Ravitchandra Smaran as its new captain while including seasoned campaigner Manish Pandey in the 15-player squad. Karnataka has been slotted into Elite Group A this year, alongside Baroda, Bengal, Chandigarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, with all group matches scheduled to be played in Mumbai. Mayank Agarwal captained the team in the previous season, but the side failed to reach the knockouts and finished fifth in Elite Group D. Following that campaign, both Mayank Agarwal and Shreyas Gopal have been excluded from the current squad.
Karnataka's 15-Member Squad and Coaching Staff
Led by captain R. Smaran, Karnataka's 15-member squad includes Rohan Patil, Luvnith Sisodia, Manish Pandey, Karun Nair, and Abhinav मनोहर (Abhinav Manohar). The rest of the team features Shikhar Shetty, Manvant Kumar, Pravin Dubey, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Vidwath Kaverappa, Abhilash Shetty, wicketkeeper K.L. Srijith, A. Gautam, and Ritesh Bhatkal. The team is coached by R. Vinay Kumar. As domestic cricket enters a crucial phase, these rejigged squads will look to make a strong impact when the matches commence later this month.
