Rishabh Pant will captain Rest of India in the Irani Cup 2026-27, with Sarfaraz Khan named vice-captain. The five-day match is scheduled to be played from October 1 to 5 in Srinagar, where Rest of India will take on Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir.
The fixture will be a landmark event for cricket in the region, as Srinagar hosts the Irani Cup for the first time.
The squad has been shaped by a crowded international calendar. India’s ODI series against West Indies begins on September 27 in Thiruvananthapuram, while the Asian Games cricket tournament starts on September 28, leaving several senior Indian players unavailable for the Irani Cup.
Why Pant has been chosen to lead Rest of India
With several senior India players involved in either the West Indies ODI series or the Asian Games cricket competition, the selectors needed a captain who was not part of those two squads. Pant meets that requirement and will also keep wicket, bringing extensive first-class experience to the leadership role.
Sarfaraz Khan’s appointment as vice-captain strengthens the team’s leadership group. A consistent performer in domestic red-ball cricket in recent seasons, Sarfaraz’s presence alongside Pant gives Rest of India a settled combination for the demanding five-day fixture.
Impact of the scheduling clash
The Irani Cup 2026-27 begins four days after the opening ODI against West Indies and three days after cricket at the Asian Games gets underway. Players assigned to either of those tournaments will be unavailable when the Srinagar match begins on October 1.
As a result, the selectors have turned to domestic performers who are not part of India’s concurrent international commitments. The Irani Cup concludes on October 5, with the opening phase of the match overlapping both major tournaments. The final squad combines experienced domestic players with others aiming to make a stronger case for national selection.
Rest of India squad for Irani Cup 2026-27
Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Sanat Sangwan, Shikhar Mohan, Sudip Gharami, Sarfaraz Khan (vc), Smaran Ravichandran, Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Mukesh Choudhary, Aryan Juyal (wk), Aryan Pandey, Anukul Roy, Ayush Doseja
( – subject to fitness clearance)
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