Rishabh Pant to lead Rest of India in Irani Cup 2026-27 fixture

Rishabh Pant will lead Rest of India in the Irani Cup 2026-27, with Sarfaraz Khan appointed as his deputy. The five-day fixture is scheduled from October 1 to 5 in Srinagar, where Rest of India will face Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir.

The match carries additional significance as it marks the first time Srinagar has hosted the Irani Cup, making it a landmark occasion for cricket in the region.

A congested international calendar has shaped the composition of the squad. The India versus West Indies ODI series opens on September 27 in Thiruvananthapuram, and Asian Games cricket begins the following day on September 28, leaving several frontline India players unavailable for the Irani Cup.

Why has Pant been handed the captaincy for this fixture?

With a number of senior India players committed to either the ODI series against West Indies or the Asian Games cricket tournament, the selectors required a captain from outside those two squads. Pant, who will also keep wicket for the side, fits that requirement while bringing substantial first-class experience to the role.

Sarfaraz Khan‘s appointment as vice-captain adds further stability to the leadership group. Sarfaraz has been among the more consistent performers in domestic red-ball cricket in recent seasons, and his presence alongside Pant gives the side a settled combination for a demanding five-day contest.

How does the scheduling overlap affect the Irani Cup fixture?

The Irani Cup 2026-27 begins just four days after the ODI series opener against West Indies and three days after Asian Games cricket gets underway. Players selected for either of those assignments will not be available when the Srinagar fixture starts on October 1.

This has pushed the selectors towards domestic performers who are outside the national setup for those concurrent events. The Irani Cup runs through to October 5, so there is no conflict at the back end of the match, but the opening days coincide directly with both international commitments. The result is a squad that blends experienced domestic names with players who have been pushing for greater recognition at the highest level.

Rest of India full 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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