PUTTING FAITH on youth and experience, the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association on Monday announced 18-member team for the upcoming Ranji Trophy season, naming experienced Jyoti Yadav as captain.
The UPCA has announced the team for first two matches of the Elite Group. Jyoti will lead the side in the absence of Team India stars Mohd Kaif and Suresh Raina, who are on national duty in South Africa. The bowling department has been bolstered by the presence of Rudra Pratap Singh, who is dropped from Team India after the Champions Trophy.
Nomination of Jyoti has also ended a ‘so called’ battle for the captaincy as a few days back the experienced speedster Ashish Winston Zaidi also staked his claim for the hot seat, besides a few others.
Experienced trio of Gyanendra Pandey, Rizwan Shamshad and Ashish Winston Zaidi have also been inducted in the team. While the new faces in the team are junior India star Tanmay Srivastava of Lucknow and ace batsman Tahir Abbas of Allahabad.
Among the 23 probables in the camp, as many as five players i.e. Anshul Kapoor, Ali Murtuza, Avinash Yadav, Aman Verma and Vikram Joshi have been left out for the first two matches.
“We are the defending champions and we would strive to perform like the champions,” Jyoti told Hindustan Times while expressing satisfaction over the composition of the team.
‘’The team is a perfect blend of youth and experience with RP Singh and Praveen Kumar leading the pace attack with spin support from young leggie Piyush Chawla,’’he said. ‘’We have some young exciting batsmen in the team as well.”
{{/usCountry}}‘’The team is a perfect blend of youth and experience with RP Singh and Praveen Kumar leading the pace attack with spin support from young leggie Piyush Chawla,’’he said. ‘’We have some young exciting batsmen in the team as well.”
{{/usCountry}}Before the announcement of the team, two members of the selection committee i.e. Mohd Shahid and Ambrish Gautam watched the proceedings at the nets, at the OEF Stadium, and even had discussions with the senior members of the team.
Ranji Trophy champion UP will take on Saurashtra in the season’s opener from November 23, at the OEF Stadium in Kanpur. While in the second match, UP play against Delhi in Delhi from December 1.