Delhi's Ayush Doseja aims to follow the discipline and fitness regime of India superstar Virat Kohli as the 23-year-old finished the group stage of the Ranji Trophy with the highest individual run tally.
North Zone's Sanat Sangwan scored a resilient 76, putting aside earlier controversies, as his team fought back against South Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final. Despite Sangwan's efforts and a partnership with Ayush Doseja, North Zone suffered a batting collapse, leaving South Zone poised for victory. South Zone holds a significant lead, needing only a draw to advance to the final.
Rishabh Pant, recently excluded from India's white-ball squad, has been appointed captain of the Rest of India team for the upcoming Irani Cup match against Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir.
Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh has been named in the North Zone squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy, with Jammu and Kashmir's Kanhaiya Wadhawan appointed captain. The 15-member squad also includes six players from the Ranji Trophy-winning Jammu and Kashmir side and other promising talents.
North Zone coaches Ajay Sharma and Sarandeep Singh are under scrutiny for controversially dropping Sanat Sangwan, the Ranji Trophy's third-highest run-scorer, for the Duleep Trophy quarter-final against West Zone, opting instead for Yash Dhull, who had a significantly poorer Ranji season.
K L Rahul is likely to be named India's vice-captain for the upcoming three-match ODI series against the West Indies, starting on September 27.
North Zone secured a crucial 64-run first-innings lead against West Zone in the Duleep Trophy quarter-final, largely due to exceptional bowling from Abid Mushtaq (5/39) and Arshdeep Singh (3/53). However, controversial selection Yash Dhull failed to score, raising questions about his inclusion over specialist opener Sanat Sangwan. North Zone ended day two with a 171-run overall lead, aiming to extend it further.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will get a golden chance to improve upon his none too impressive first class numbers when East Zone take on the severely inexperienced North East Zone in the quarter-final of the Duleep Trophy.
Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant were not picked in Indian team for the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies, while Ruturaj Gaikwad made a return to the one-day team.
Kaverappa's four-wicket haul gave South Zone control before they stumbled, while Mukesh and Sarkar struck three each to bowl Central Zone out, giving East Zone a strong start.
Teen batting star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored just eight runs on his Duleep Trophy debut for East Zone before Sudip Gharami and Shahbaz Ahmed hit hundreds to power them to 355 for 6 against North East.
Jammu and Kashmir are in sight of a historic victory over Delhi in Ranji Trophy as they require 124 runs on the final day which promises to produce an engaging day of cricket, considering a crumbling Feroz Shah Kotla track where finger spinners are ruling the roost.
Nitish Rana to lead Delhi in SMAT; Rathi misses out
India's Test vice-captain Rishabh Pant was named captain of the Delhi team, with stalwart Virat Kohli also set to be available for a couple games, for the upcoming National One-Day Championship, for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, starting December 24.
Vidarbha failed to advance on basis of the bonus points after it finished level on points with Andhra and Jharkhand.
'The selectors have named 24 because they felt that a larger pool is always available for selection during each game. However, when we play home games in Delhi, we will prune it down to 15.'
Sudip Gharami's second successive hundred guided Bengal to 249 for 5 against Jammu and Kashmir on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy semi-final, in Kalyani, on Sunday.
Abid Mushtaq took seven wickets as Jammu and Kashmir trounced Hyderabad by 281 runs in Elite Group D Ranji Trophy match, in Jammu, on Wednesday.
Opener Musheer Khan (112) and veteran Siddhesh Lad (100 not out) hit centuries to rally Mumbai to 289/5 on Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match against Himachal Pradesh.
Mumbai sealed a bonus-point victory with a nine-wicket thrashing of Hyderabad in their Group D Ranji Trophy match, in Hyderabad, on Sunday.
Round up of all the Ranji Trophy action on Thursday
Underdogs Nagaland showed they are made of sterner stuff as their batters fought tooth and nail all day to score 365/5 and frustrate Tamil Nadu who would be fancying their chances of enforcing a follow-on after a mammoth 512-run first-innings total in a Ranji Trophy Group A match in Bengaluru on Monday.
Ranji Trophy: MP enter quarterfinals; Saurashtra on brink of qualification
Sarfaraz Khan and Siddhesh Lad compiled superlative hundreds to power table-toppers Mumbai to a commanding 332 for 4 on Day 1 of their Ranji Trophy match against hosts Hyderabad on Thursday.
Vimal Khumar and Pradosh Ranjan Paul struck massive hundreds as Tamil Nadu piled up 399 for two against Nagaland on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match in Dimapur on Saturday.
Shami's five wickets on final day sets up fine win for Bengal over Gujarat in Ranji Trophy
Ajinkya Rahane hits 159 in Ranji Trophy match against Chhattisgarh