Sai Sudarshan aims for a spot in the squad ahead of New Zealand tour, striving for an opening position

Rishabh Pant was unable to make the Indian squad for the ODI series against West Indies, so his focus is now on the Iranian Cup. He has been entrusted to captain the Rest of India team. The first match, scheduled for October 1st in Srinagar, will be played between Rest of India and the Ranji Trophy champion from Jammu and Kashmir for the 2025-26 season.

Pant will not only lead the team but also serve as the wicketkeeper. This means that after a long break, he will take on a leadership role in a first-class match.

Sarfaraz Khan has been named the vice-captain of the Rest of India team. Additionally, fast bowler Akash Dip has been included in the 15-man squad, although his participation is contingent on his health. Akash Dip last participated in a competition in February, representing Bengal in the Ranji Trophy semi-finals. Following this, he struggled with a lower back injury, which prevented him from playing the entire IPL 2026 season and also caused his absence from matches for India.

The Iranian Cup could offer an opportunity for his return to competitive cricket, but he must first undergo a medical examination.

Selectors have also included players who demonstrated outstanding performances in last season's Ranji tournament. Four batsmen who scored the most runs in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy have been selected for the Rest of India. Aash Rasmaran scored 950 runs, Ayush Dosija scored 949, Sannat Sangwan scored 828, and Sudip Kumar Garami scored 797.

These four have secured spots in the 15-man squad. Batsman Shikhar Mohan from Jharkhand is also part of the team; he scored the most runs for Jharkhand in the previous Ranji season. Furthermore, he played innings of 85 and 52 runs in the recently concluded Duleep Trophy final.

Mukesh Kumar and Mukesh Choudhary will handle the batting line for Rest of India. Manav Sutar and Saransh Jain will be the primary options in the spin department. Anukul Roy has also joined the team, having made significant contributions to both batting and bowling in East Zone's victory in the Duleep Trophy.

Manav Sutar's recent performance has been impressive: he took 23 wickets in his first three Test matches, including one match with 10 wickets. He also scored 79 runs across four innings in batting. Saransh Jain debuted in international cricket in the second match against Sri Lanka in Colombo, where he took three wickets. His domestic cricket statistics are also strong: Jain took only 51 wickets over two Ranji seasons. He was also recently part of the Central Zone team in the Duleep Trophy.

Who will be the backup wicketkeeper alongside Pant?

Aryan Jual has been included in the squad as a backup wicketkeeper for Pant. This match is particularly important for Pant, as after missing the ODI series against West Indies, he will attempt to regain his form with red balls. Captaining the Rest of India team is also an added responsibility for him. The team includes several players who performed well in recent domestic tournaments.

The Iranian Cup is traditionally viewed as an important fixture before the start of the new Ranji season. After this match, the new Ranji Trophy season will commence on October 11th.

India has taken a 2-0 lead in the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan. The third and final match is scheduled for September 17 (Thursday) at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Following the securing of victory in the series, the probability of changes in the Indian team's squad increases.

15-year-old Vaivava Suryavanshi was not in India's starting lineup in the first two T20 matches. In the first match, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma batted at the top order, and the Indian team retained the same starting six in the second match.

After the game, Shreyas Iyer stated that the team aims to give all players an opportunity to adapt to the field and conditions, as well as gain experience from practice matches. Therefore, there is a possibility of giving a chance to players who have been outside the squad so far, and some changes in the team combination may also occur.

Thus, the path is open for 'Baby Boss' to get a chance to play in the third T20 match. Previously, Vaivava demonstrated excellent performance in the T20 series against Zimbabwe, winning the 'Player of the Series' title with 151 runs. Despite this, he had to remain on the bench in the first two matches against Afghanistan.

Now all attention is focused on the match on September 17. If the team management decides to make changes, Vaivava may get his first chance to play an international T20 match in India.

Currently, Vaivava has scored 193 runs in 6 matches for India, with an average strike rate of 189.21, including two half-centuries. In these six games, Vaivava hit 16 fours and 14 sixes.

A serious dilemma has arisen for Captain Shreyas Iyer and Head Coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of the upcoming first T20 match between India and Afghanistan, scheduled for Sunday at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

The team has two starting positions, but three strong players are vying for them: Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi. It remains to be seen which two players will be given the opportunity to feature in the first match.

Choosing one of these three players to exclude has been a headache for the team management, as all three are in excellent form. Sanju Samson was the best player of the T20 World Cup tournament. On the other hand, 15-year-old Vaibhav won the series best player award in Zimbabwe. Abhishek Sharma also demonstrated outstanding play during the tour in England, where he was given a chance instead of Sanju Samson, and he convinced the fans with his powerful performance, validating the captain's decision.

Speaking to the media, Captain Iyer emphasized that this decision will not be easy. He noted that having all three players in the squad is a blessing. He added that each of them is a master in their field and consistently shows a high level of play. He also stated that any player who takes the field will play for the benefit of the team. Iyer also announced that he and Coach Gambhir will personally speak with the player who does not make the starting XI to boost their morale and assure them that they will be given a full opportunity in the future.

Another good piece of news for Indian fans before the match: powerful batter Ishan Kishan is fully fit for Sunday's game. He experienced slight back stiffness during practice on Friday, after which he left the field. Iyer provided an update, stating that Ishan is now completely healthy. He explained that the fatigue was due to continuous matches in the Duleep Trophy tournament. He managed to rest and is fully ready for tomorrow's match.

Previously, under Shreyas Iyer's leadership, India lost the T20 series against Ireland and England; however, the team managed to bounce back and win against Zimbabwe by a score of 3-0. Now, it is very interesting to see which 11 strong players and which opening pair Captain Iyer will select for the match against Afghanistan.