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Rest of India will face Jammu and Kashmir in the 2026 Irani Cup at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar from October 1 to 5. The fixture will mark J&K’s first appearance in the prestigious tournament after they won their maiden Ranji Trophy title in the 2025-26 season. Rest of India, meanwhile, will enter the contest with a squad packed with leading performers from the previous domestic season.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has named Rishabh Pant as the captain, with Sarfaraz Khan appointed his deputy. The squad also includes several players who made a significant impact in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, including R Smaran, Ayush Doseja, Sanat Sangwan and Sudip Kumar Gharami.
With Akash Deep’s participation subject to fitness clearance, Rest of India could make a few tactical decisions before finalising their XI. Here is the predicted playing XI for the Irani Cup clash.
Sanat Sangwan is likely to open the innings for Rest of India. The left-handed batter was among the prominent run-scorers in the previous Ranji Trophy season and has earned his place in the squad through consistent domestic performances. His ability to spend long periods at the crease could be valuable against a J&K attack familiar with the conditions in Srinagar.
Smaran Ravichandran could partner Sangwan at the top of the order. The Karnataka batter was the leading run-scorer in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, accumulating 950 runs, according to India Today.
His ability to construct substantial first-class innings makes him one of Rest of India’s key batting options. A strong start from Smaran and Sangwan would provide the visitors with an ideal platform.
Shikhar Mohan is another player who could feature in the top order. He was part of the group of prolific domestic batters selected for the Rest of India squad. His inclusion would give the team another technically sound batter capable of handling the new ball before the middle order takes over.
Sudip Kumar Gharami could slot into the No. 4 position. The Bengal batter was among the leading run-getters in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy and brings substantial experience in domestic red-ball cricket.
His role could become particularly important if J&K’s seamers make early inroads.
Sarfaraz Khan is expected to occupy the middle order and serve as Rest of India’s vice-captain. The right-hander has established himself as one of India’s leading domestic batters and possesses the ability to convert starts into substantial scores.
His presence will add experience to a batting lineup otherwise featuring several players looking to establish themselves at the next level.
Captain Rishabh Pant is almost certain to take the wicketkeeping gloves and bat in the middle order. His inclusion gives Rest of India an experienced international batter capable of changing the tempo of a first-class innings.
Pant’s leadership will also be closely watched, particularly because this match represents his return to competitive action after being left out of India’s ODI squad for the West Indies series.
Anukul Roy could provide the team with a valuable all-round option. The left-arm spinner can contribute with both bat and ball, giving Pant greater flexibility with his combination.
His bowling could become especially useful if the Srinagar surface begins assisting spin as the match progresses.
Saransh Jain is another spin-bowling all-rounder who could make the XI. He recently featured in India’s Test setup and brings an ability to contribute in multiple departments.
The presence of both Jain and Roy would provide Rest of India with two different spin options while strengthening the lower-order batting.
Manav Suthar could be the specialist spinner in the XI. The left-arm orthodox bowler has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket and was identified as one of the leading spin options in the Rest of India squad.
His ability to bowl long spells could be crucial in a five-day contest.
Mukesh Kumar is expected to lead the pace attack. The Bengal seamer has considerable experience in first-class cricket and has also represented India at Test level.
His accuracy and ability to extract movement with the new ball make him a natural choice for the opening bowling role against J&K’s top order.
Mukesh Choudhary could partner Mukesh Kumar with the new ball. The left-arm seamer would provide variety to the attack and offer Pant a different angle against J&K’s right-handed batters.
If Akash Deep receives fitness clearance, however, his selection could alter the bowling combination. The Bengal pacer has been named in the squad subject to fitness clearance.
Sanat Sangwan, Smaran Ravichandran, Shikhar Mohan, Sudip Kumar Gharami, Sarfaraz Khan (VC), Rishabh Pant (C & WK), Anukul Roy, Saransh Jain, Manav Suthar, Mukesh Kumar, Mukesh Choudhary
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