Rishabh Pant Named in Delhi’s Ranji Trophy Squad, Virat Kohli Not Included
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Synopsis
Rishabh Pant has been included in Delhi's squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy matches, while Virat Kohli's absence raises questions regarding his fitness. The Delhi team looks to secure wins to qualify for the knockout stages.
Key Takeaways
- Rishabh Pant included in Delhi's Ranji squad.
- Virat Kohli misses out due to injury.
- Delhi needs wins to qualify for knockout stages.
- Gursharan Singh leads the selection panel.
- Upcoming matches against Saurashtra and Railways.
New Delhi, Jan 18 (NationPress) Rishabh Pant has been named in the Delhi squad for the forthcoming Ranji Trophy matches, while Virat Kohli has not made the cut in the 21-member lineup released by the DDCA on Saturday.
This announcement coincides with India captain Rohit Sharma confirming his participation for Mumbai in their upcoming Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir, as the elite first-class competition resumes its league matches on January 23.
Both Kohli and Pant were members of the Indian team that faced a 3-1 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia. Following this, the BCCI seemingly introduced a 10-point policy document mandating participation in domestic cricket, with possible repercussions on international selection and central contract renewals for non-compliance.
In the squad selected by the Gursharan Singh-led selection panel on Friday for matches against Saurashtra (January 23) and Railways (January 30), Kohli’s absence is noteworthy, attributed to a neck strain sustained during the final Test in Sydney.
Kohli's last appearance in a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi dates back to 2012 against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad. Meanwhile, reports indicate that the decision to keep Badoni as Delhi’s captain was made to ensure leadership continuity, especially after Pant's recommendation to the DDCA.
Pant last participated in a Ranji Trophy match during the 2017/18 season, where he led Delhi to a runners-up finish. The team is scheduled to travel to Rajkot on January 20 to face Jaydev Unadkat-led Saurashtra at the Niranjan Shah Stadium.
Delhi currently sits in fourth place in the Elite Group D table with 14 points from five matches, needing victories in their last two games to keep their knockout stage hopes alive. Other notable players in the squad include Navdeep Saini, Himmat Singh, and Yash Dhull.
Delhi squad: Ayush Badoni (C), Sanat Sangwan, Arpit Rana, Yash Dhull, Rishabh Pant, Jonty Sidhu, Himmat Singh, Navdeep Saini, Money Grewal, Harsh Tyagi, Siddhant Sharma, Shivam Sharma, Pranav Rajvanshi (wk), Vaibhav Kandpal, Mayank Gussain, Gagan Vats, Ayush Doseja, Rounak Waghela, Sumit Mathur, Rahul Gahlot, Jitesh Singh.
