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Jammu and Kashmir are set to make their maiden appearance in the Irani Cup when they take on Rest of India in the five-day encounter at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar from October 1 to 5. J&K earned the opportunity after winning their maiden Ranji Trophy title in the 2025-26 season, and the historic fixture will see them face a strong Rest of India side led by Rishabh Pant.
The hosts have finalised a 15-member squad for the prestigious contest. Their squad includes experienced campaigners such as Paras Dogra, Shubham Khajuria and Abid Mushtaq, along with several players who played important roles during their title-winning Ranji Trophy campaign. Auqib Nabi, one of J&K’s leading performers last season, is unavailable as he is currently part of India’s ODI squad for the West Indies series.
J&K will therefore have to make a few adjustments to their combination, particularly in the bowling department. Based on the squad composition, recent domestic performances and the demands of a five-day game, here is their predicted playing XI against Rest of India.
Shubham Khajuria is expected to open the innings and provide experience at the top of the order. The right-hander has been one of J&K’s prominent batters in domestic cricket and will have a crucial role against a Rest of India attack featuring Mukesh Kumar, Mukesh Choudhary and potentially Akash Deep.
Qamran Iqbal could partner Khajuria at the top. The young opener has been part of J&K’s domestic setup for several seasons and has the ability to play long innings. Against a strong Rest of India bowling attack, his primary responsibility will be to see off the new ball and give the middle order a solid platform.
Yawar Hasan could come in at No. 3. He was included in J&K’s final 15-member squad and is likely to be given the responsibility of strengthening the top order. His ability to occupy the crease could become important if Rest of India’s seamers extract movement from the Srinagar surface.
Shubham Pundir is another experienced domestic batter who could slot into the middle order. His ability to rotate the strike and build partnerships makes him a valuable option in a first-class contest. J&K will need substantial contributions from their middle order to match Rest of India’s batting depth.
Abdul Samad could be one of the most watchable players in J&K’s XI. Known primarily for his aggressive batting, Samad has considerable experience in T20 cricket but will have a different challenge in the longer format. His ability to accelerate when required can provide J&K with an additional dimension.
Captain Paras Dogra is expected to anchor the middle order. The veteran batter brings enormous domestic experience and has been an important figure in J&K cricket. With a five-day game against a quality Rest of India side, his experience in handling pressure and building substantial innings could prove invaluable.
Kanhaiya Wadhawan is likely to take the wicketkeeping gloves. His inclusion would allow J&K to maintain a specialist wicketkeeper while also providing another batting option in the lower middle order. Keeping to a bowling attack containing Abid Mushtaq and the team’s seamers will be another significant responsibility.
Abid Mushtaq could be J&K’s principal spin-bowling option. The left-arm spinner has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket and can also contribute useful runs down the order. On a surface that begins offering assistance to spin as the game progresses, his role could become increasingly important.
Sahil Lotra could provide J&K with another bowling option while adding depth to the lower order. His inclusion would give captain Paras Dogra greater flexibility in managing the bowling workload across five days.
Umar Nazir is expected to lead the pace attack in the absence of Auqib Nabi. The experienced seamer can provide control with the new ball and will be tasked with making early inroads against a Rest of India top order that includes several highly regarded domestic batters.
Sunil Kumar could complete the bowling attack. His presence alongside Umar Nazir would give J&K a specialist seam combination, while Abid Mushtaq provides the principal spin option. Kawalpreet Singh and Vanshaj Sharma are among the alternatives who could also come into consideration depending on the conditions.
Shubham Khajuria, Qamran Iqbal, Yawar Hasan, Shubham Pundir, Abdul Samad, Paras Dogra (c), Kanhaiya Wadhawan (wk), Abid Mushtaq, Sahil Lotra, Umar Nazir, Sunil Kumar
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