Irani Cup 2023: Mayank Agarwal to Lead Rest of India VS MP; Sarfaraz Excluded-Reports
Madhya Pradesh, which won the Ranji Trophy in the 2021-22 season, will take on the Rest of India from March 1 to 5 at Gwalior for the 2022-23 edition of the Irani Cup. As Holkar Stadium in Indore is set to host the third Test match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy, the Irani Cup is shifted to Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior.
Interestingly, the Irani Cup tie will continue to be a day affair and not a pink ball contest as planned initially.
This will be the second Irani tie of the season. The domestic season started with Saurashtra, the winner of the 2019-20 season, played the Rest of India in October 2022 at Rajkot. Madhya Pradesh, the last season’s Ranji champion, will play its conventional affair against the Rest of India at the end of the domestic season
Mayank Agarwal to Lead Rest of India-Reports
If the reports are to be believed, Mayank Agarwal will lead the team. The out-of-favour batsman is aiming to make his comeback in the Test team. Yash Dhull, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran and Harvik Desai are among the batters in the squad.
Upendra Yadav, who has been part of the India A squad, is the sole wicketkeeper in the team. Spinner Saurabh Kumar, who has been waiting for his Test since 2022, will also ply his trade for ROI. Pulkit Narang and Mayank Markande are other spinners in the team. Navdeep Saini, Mukesh Kumar and Chetan Sakariya are among the pacers in the squad.
Madhya Pradesh also have a solid squad that includes the likes of Rajat Patidar, Venkatesh Iyer and Avesh Khan among others.
Ignored from Test squad, Sarfaraz Khan now EXCLUDED from Irani Cup 2023 team
Sarfaraz Khan seemed to be a solid contender to make his Test debut in the 2022/23 season and he also made it to the India A squad. The right-handed batsman continued his dream run and finished the Ranji Trophy season with 556 runs in 6 matches at an average of 92.66. While his performances couldn’t earn him a spot in the Test squad, Sarfaraz has now been shockingly ignored for a place in the Irani Cup team as well.
A media house has reported that Sarfaraz Khan hasn’t been named in the Rest of India squad for the prestigious tournament. There are many openers in the squad while middle-order batter, Sarfaraz, has been ignored.
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