Rishabh Pant to Lead Rest of India in Irani Cup

Rishabh Pant will return to red-ball leadership duties as captain of Rest of India in the Irani Cup, even as he finds himself outside India’s ODI plans for the West Indies tour.

The wicketkeeper-batter, left out of the 50-over squad, has been handed the responsibility of leading a star-studded RoI side against 2025-26 Ranji Trophy champions Jammu & Kashmir in Srinagar from October 1-5. The match will be played at the Sher-i-Kashmir stadium, a fittingly high-profile stage for a contest that often doubles as a national selection audition.

Pant’s statement stage

Pant’s omission from the ODI squad gives this assignment extra edge. The Irani Cup has long been a barometer of form and temperament; for Pant, it becomes a chance to plant a firm reminder of his long-format value in front of selectors.

He will have Sarfaraz Khan as his deputy. Sarfaraz, one of domestic cricket’s most relentless run-makers in recent seasons, adds both weight to the middle order and steel to the leadership group. That pairing alone gives RoI a formidable core.

Akash Deep’s timely return

One of the more intriguing subplots revolves around Akash Deep. The seamer has been sidelined for an extended stretch with a lower-back stress injury and is listed in the squad subject to fitness. The symmetry is hard to miss: his last competitive outing came in February 2026, in the Ranji Trophy, against the very same Jammu & Kashmir side he is now set to face again.

If cleared, his return will bolster a pace unit that already carries plenty of bite.

Pace and spin stocks well loaded

RoI have leaned on proven domestic operators with the ball. Mukesh Kumar and Mukesh Choudhary bring contrasting styles but shared experience, while Aryan Pandey adds another seam option to rotate through long spells in Srinagar’s early-October conditions.

The spin department looks equally sharp. Left-arm options and variety stand out, with Anukul Roy joining Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain. Suthar and Jain arrive with the confidence of recent Test exposure against Sri Lanka, and their presence gives Pant attacking choices deep into the final session of each day.

Reward for Ranji run machines

The selectors have also sent a clear message to the Ranji circuit. R Smaran and Ayush Doseja, the top two run-scorers in the previous Ranji Trophy season, both find places in the squad. It is a direct reward for weight of runs and a reminder that the domestic grind still opens doors.

Around them, there is a blend of youth and consistency: Sanat Sangwan, Shikhar Mohan and Sudip Gharami offer top-order options, while Aryan Juyal joins Pant as the second wicketkeeper, giving the side flexibility in balance and batting depth.

Rest of India squad: 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.

Jammu & Kashmir arrive as newly crowned Ranji champions, eager to prove their title was no one-season surge. Rest of India, stacked with ambition and opportunity, stand in their way. For Pant and several others, this is more than a traditional curtain-raiser; it is a five-day examination that could reshape the pecking order for India’s next Test cycle.