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September 25, 2024
Suppose Dhruv Jurel, Yash Dayal, and Sarfaraz Khan are not included in India’s playing XI for the upcoming Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur. In that case, they will be released to compete in the Irani Cup.
Ishan Kishan is making a strong comeback to red-ball cricket. He has been selected for the Rest of India (RoI) squad led by Ruturaj Gaikwad for the Irani Cup, scheduled in Lucknow from October 1 to 5. Kishan recently played his first first-class match since July 2023, scoring a century for India C in the Duleep Trophy after losing his BCCI central contract.
Kishan will share wicketkeeping duties with Jurel, who has also been selected but is subject to being picked for India’s second Test against Bangladesh from September 27 to October 1. Dayal and Sarfaraz, both part of the Test squad, have been included in the RoI and Mumbai squads, respectively, under the same condition.
Notably, Mohammed Shami should be added to the RoI squad. After not participating in any competitive matches since last year’s 50-over World Cup, he was expected to play in at least one Duleep Trophy match to assess his fitness. However, this absence will further delay his return to competitive cricket.
Mohammed Shami is focusing on his rehabilitation after ankle surgery. He wants to take his time before returning to competitive cricket. He aims to be fully fit for the Ranji Trophy, which starts on October 11 and has been named in Bengal’s list of potential players for the season.
The Rest of India (RoI) squad includes four frontline openers: captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhimanyu Easwaran (the second-highest run-scorer in the recent Duleep Trophy), Devdutt Padikkal, and B Sai Sudharsan. While Padikkal and Sudharsan are both capable openers, they have recently shifted to middle-order batting; Padikkal batted at No. 4 on his Test debut against England earlier this year.
Ricky Bhui from Andhra and Shashwat Rawat from Baroda have been selected based on their strong performances in the Duleep Trophy. Bhui scored 359 runs at an impressive average of 71.80, including two centuries and a half-century. Rawat contributed scores of 124 and 53 in his latest match for India A.
The RoI team boasts a strong pace attack featuring Prasidh Krishna, who has returned from a quadriceps injury, and Mukesh Kumar, Yash Dayal, and Khaleel Ahmed as left-arm options. The spin department includes Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain, and Rahul Chahar.
Meanwhile, Ajinkya Rahane will lead a strong Mumbai squad, which includes Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw, and Sarfaraz Khan. Rahane has been in form, having played a lot of red-ball cricket for Leicestershire in the County Championship. Shardul Thakur also makes his comeback after recovering from foot surgery in June. Thakur hasn’t played since IPL 2024 and is eager to return to the team ahead of the upcoming tour of Australia.
Originally scheduled to be held in Mumbai, the match venue was changed due to potential weather disruptions from the monsoon season.
Rest of India Squad:
Mumbai Squad:
(*Denotes players subject to selection in the playing XI.)
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is not worried about concerns regarding empty stands during the recent Test against Sri Lanka. They cite high demand for tickets for next year’s Lord’s Test against India.
Ticket prices for the India Test, starting on July 10, have increased again. The cheapest adult tickets for the first three days are restricted-view seats priced at £90 each (£20 for under-16s). Tickets with a clear view range from £120 to £175 (£40 to £50 for under-16s).
In comparison, tickets for the Sri Lanka Test had unrestricted views priced between £115 and £140 for adults and £15 to £40 for concessions. That match concluded on the fourth day, attracting only 9,000 spectators—about one-third of the venue’s capacity. This low turnout was partly due to England’s aggressive playing style, which has led to many recent matches finishing before the final day.
The MCC faced criticism for not offering reduced ticket prices until after tea on the fourth day when adult tickets dropped to £15 and under-16 tickets to £5. However, by that time, only three Sri Lankan wickets remained to fall, limiting the opportunity for many fans to take advantage of the lower prices.
After the match, England’s stand-in captain, Ollie Pope, acknowledged that the team noticed the subdued atmosphere in the stadium.
“It was just like, ‘jeez, it seems quiet today,'” he said. “I’m unsure if people expected the game to be done by day four. It’s a shame it wasn’t a full house because it was a good day’s play.”
Despite MCC Chief Executive Guy Lavender announcing a review of the club’s fourth-day pricing policy, fans attending next year’s India Test will receive minimal concessions. Under-16 tickets will be available for £25, half the cost of the first three days, but full-view tickets will still range from £90 to £150.
The MCC justifies these prices by stating that India is now the second-most famous team in the English Test calendar, following Australia. They believe the ticket prices reflect expected demand, similar to trends in other sports. For comparison, the most expensive tickets for the 2023 Ashes Test were £170, which the MCC claims is only a £5 increase below inflation.
Additionally, Lord’s will host the World Test Championship final in June, likely featuring India and Australia in a rematch of the 2023 final. Tickets for that match will range from £70 to £130 for adults and £20 to £50 for under-16s.
England and India will also compete in a women’s ODI at Lord’s in 2025, with adult tickets priced between £25 and £45. In contrast, tickets for the men’s ODI against South Africa will range from £75 to £150.
Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for IPLWin365 (IPL365 News), she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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