Gwalior Cheetahs have announced their full squad for the Madhya Pradesh Premier League (MPL) T20 Scindia Cup 2026, headlined by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat Patidar. The franchise unveiled the 16-member group on 30 May, bolstering their pace attack with fast bowlers Akash Singh Raghuwanshi and Mangesh Yadav.

Star Signing: Patidar Brings IPL Pedigree

Rajat Patidar led RCB to their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title in 2025, becoming the first captain to deliver a championship to the Bengaluru franchise. He has carried that momentum into the current IPL edition, guiding his side to the final where they are set to face 2022 champions Gujarat Titans on Sunday.

Franchise representative Madhav Singhania praised the signing and expressed confidence in the squad's composition. 'We are delighted to have Rajat Patidar in the squad. Winning an IPL title as captain speaks volumes about his leadership qualities and experience. Our squad has a very good balance of experienced players and exciting young talent, which gives us a lot of confidence going into the season. We believe this is a strong and settled group capable of playing positive cricket throughout the tournament,' Singhania said.

Gwalior Cheetahs' Campaign Opener

The Cheetahs will begin their MPL 2026 campaign against Ujjain Falcons at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on 3 June. The fixture marks the first competitive outing for a squad that blends established domestic names with promising young talent from Madhya Pradesh.

MPL 2026: Largest Edition to Date

This season's MPL is the most expansive in the tournament's history, featuring 10 men's franchises and 5 women's franchises. Three new sides — Malwa Stallions, Ujjain Falcons, and Royal Nimar Eagles — join the existing men's teams: reigning champions Bhopal Leopards, Bundelkhand Bulls, Chambal Ghariyals, Gwalior Cheetahs, Indore Pink Panthers, Jabalpur Royal Lions, and Rewa Jaguars.

The women's tournament has also expanded, with Gwalior Shernis and Royal Nimar Eagles joining Bhopal Wolves, Bundelkhand Bulls, and Chambal Ghariyals in a five-team competition.

Full Squad

Akash Singh Raghuwanshi, Anil Mourya, Anubhav Agarwal, Arpit Patel, Ishan Afridi, Kartik Parihar, Kuldeep Gehi, Mangesh Yadav, Parth Chaudhary, Rajat Patidar, Saumy Kumar Pandey, Tushar Verma, Vandit Joshi, Varun Shinde, Varun Tiwari, Vikas Sharma.

With Patidar at the helm and a pace battery capable of challenging any batting line-up, Gwalior Cheetahs enter MPL 2026 as one of the sides to watch when the season gets underway on 3 June.