At two first-class matches against Australia A at Mackay and Melbourne, Ruturaj Gaikwad will captain India A. A three-day intra-squad practice match versus the senior India men’s team at the WACA in Perth will come next. The squad’s new vice captain is Abhimanyu Easwaran.
India A squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Abhimanyu Easwaran (VC), Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Devdutt Padikkal, Ricky Bhui, Baba Indrajith, Ishan Kishan (WK), Abishek Porel (WK), Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal, Navdeep Saini, Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian
Gaikwad had captained India C in the Duleep Trophy last month, with his team finishing second on the four-team points table. In the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, he has scored 231 runs in two games, including 145 against Mumbai. On the other hand, Easwaran led third-placed India B in the Duleep Trophy and hit a couple of hundreds in the tournament.
Andhra’s Ricky Bhui, the top-run scorer from the 2023-24 season of Ranji Trophy and the 2024 Duleep Trophy, has been called up along with Tamil Nadu batter Baba Indrajith, who scored 767 runs in the previous campaign. Devdutt Padikkal is another middle-order option.
Ishan Kishan and Abishek Porel are the two wicket-keepers in the squad.
Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal, and Navdeep Saini form the pace pack. Nitish Kumar Reddy, who recently made his India debut in Gwalior, has been included. Mumbai’s Tanush Kotian, who impressed in the Duleep Trophy, also finds a place.
Schedule,
- 1st First-Class: October 31 to November 3, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay
- 2nd First-Class: November 7 to November 10, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
- Three-day intra-squad match: November 15 to November 17, WACA, Perth