Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir are less than two weeks away from one of the biggest matches in their domestic cricket history, but the Ranji Trophy champions are yet to publicly announce their squad for the Irani Trophy against Rest of India.
The J&K Cricket Association (JKCA), in instructions issued on September 21, announced a preparatory camp from September 24 to 30 at SK Stadium, Srinagar. The Irani Trophy will be played at the same venue from October 1 to 5.
The association said the list of players would be shared separately, while the Senior Men’s Selection Committee has been asked to submit the final team to the Cricket Operations Section by September 26.
The timing has raised questions, particularly because the Rest of India squad was announced by the BCCI on September 16, with Rishabh Pant named captain and Sarfaraz Khan vice-captain.
J&K, meanwhile, is scheduled to play its first major red-ball assignment of the new season before the Ranji Trophy campaign begins.
Other states already preparing for Ranji season
The delay becomes more noticeable as several state associations have already started announcing their squads for the upcoming Ranji Trophy season.
Tamil Nadu announced its squad on September 21, while Hyderabad had also named its squad for the opening Ranji matches.
J&K, despite having an Irani Trophy fixture ahead of the Ranji season, is yet to publicly reveal its team for the immediate assignment.
The JKCA timeline means the final squad could be settled only during the preparatory camp, leaving a relatively short window for the selected players to train together before facing a strong Rest of India side.
Auqib Nabi adds to selection questions
Another major selection issue is the availability of J&K pace spearhead Auqib Nabi, who has been named in India’s ODI squad for the upcoming series against West Indies.
With India’s ODI series beginning on September 27, Nabi’s availability for the Irani Trophy will be an obvious consideration for the J&K selectors.
The association, however, has not publicly indicated whether player availability, fitness or any other issue is behind the delayed announcement.
Why the silence?
The JKCA document does not suggest that the selection process has missed any deadline. The association has given its selectors until September 26 to submit the final team.
However, the lack of clarity has naturally raised questions over the planning of J&K’s biggest red-ball assignment since winning their maiden Ranji Trophy title.
The association has already detailed arrangements for accommodation, transport, support staff, allowances, attendance and video analysis.
What remains unclear is the most important detail: who will represent J&K against Rest of India?
With the camp beginning on September 24 and the Irani Trophy starting on October 1, JKCA now has little time to finalise the squad, settle combinations and prepare the defending Ranji champions for a high-profile five-day contest.
For a team that earned the Irani Trophy opportunity through a historic Ranji campaign, the expectation will be not only a competitive squad but also a clear and well-defined preparation plan.
