India's Head Coach Reveals Details of Preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup

The fast bowler of the Indian team, Akash Deep, shared the story of his first day with the national squad when he was among such big players as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He recounted this during the 'Kheloge Kuduge Bangone Navab' session at the Panchayat Aajtak event held in Patna.

Akash Deep narrated that at that moment, he felt such intense fear that he thought he might have a heart attack, because there is a rule requiring a new player to give a speech upon their first inclusion in the team.

He noted that values such as respect for elders, discipline, and touching the feet of seniors were deeply ingrained in his native village. Even when he played for the regional team for the first time, there were former Indian players present, but they had already retired. However, when he was selected for the Indian national team, he found himself facing names like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Rahul Dravid.

Deep mentioned that due to the completely different atmosphere, he couldn't even touch the feet of these great athletes. According to the rules, a new player must say something about themselves upon joining the squad. At that time, Rahul Dravid asked him only one question: how was his journey up to that point and what did he feel. Akash Deep replied that the feeling was impossible to describe in words because it was a pure emotion.

He also mentioned that he was born in a village where playing cricket was considered almost a crime, and today, thanks to this sport, he receives such respect in his country. Akash Deep added that every time he sees great players and big teams, his confidence does not decrease; on the contrary, it increases. He emphasized that since childhood, he possessed this trait that made him strong in any difficult situation and motivated him to perform his best on big stages.

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.

Rest of India squad: Rishabh Pant (Captain, Wicketkeeper), Sannat Sangwan, Shikhar Mohan, Sudip Garami, Sarfaraz Khan (Vice-Captain), Aash Rasmaran, Manav Sutar, Saransh Jain, Akash Dip*, Mukesh Kumar, Mukesh Choudhary, Aryan Jual (Wicketkeeper), Aryan Pandey, Anukul Roy, Ayush Dosija. *Akash Dip's selection will be based on his health condition.