Srinagar: Cricket fans in Jammu and Kashmir are set for a major treat as some of India’s prominent domestic and international-level cricketers are set to arrive in Srinagar for the Irani Cup clash between Jammu & Kashmir and Rest of India.
The prestigious five-day first-class match will be played from October 1 to 5 at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar, with J&K entering the contest as the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy champions.
The Rest of India squad announced on Wednesday has Rishabh Pant as captain and Sarfaraz Khan as vice-captain, adding considerable star value to an already strong line-up.
Pant’s selection is particularly significant for local cricket followers. The India wicketkeeper-batter, who has been left out of India’s ODI squad for the upcoming West Indies series, will lead the Rest of India side in what will be his return to competitive red-ball cricket in the domestic season.
Sarfaraz, another player with international experience, has been named Pant’s deputy.
The Rest of India squad also includes Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Mukesh Choudhary, Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain, along with several of India’s leading domestic performers.
Akash Deep’s inclusion is subject to fitness clearance. The Bengal pacer last played against J&K in the Ranji Trophy in February 2026.
The squad features a strong mix of established names and emerging domestic performers. Ravichandran Smaran and Ayush Doseja, who were among the leading run-scorers in the previous Ranji Trophy season, have also been included.
The match will have added significance for J&K, which qualified for the Irani Cup after winning its maiden Ranji Trophy title in the 2025-26 season.
J&K’s historic title triumph has brought the team into the traditional season-opening Irani Cup, putting the side up against a Rest of India outfit featuring a number of high-profile players.
For Srinagar, the fixture represents one of the biggest domestic cricket occasions in decades. The Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium is set to host the contest after the venue was identified for the match, with the fixture marking a major return of high-profile cricket to Kashmir.
J&K’s campaign will also have a strong local interest with Baramulla pacer Auqib Nabi expected to be an important part of the champions’ side. Nabi took 60 wickets during J&K’s title-winning Ranji Trophy campaign and subsequently earned an India call-up.
With Pant leading a Rest of India side packed with experienced and emerging domestic talent, and J&K entering the contest as reigning Ranji champions, the Srinagar fixture is expected to attract considerable attention from cricket followers across the region.
The Irani Cup will also provide a rare opportunity for local fans to watch several players who have featured at the highest levels of Indian cricket in action at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium.
Rest of India squad for Irani Cup
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 and Ayush Doseja.
