The Buchi Babu Invitation Cricket Tournament 2024 got underway across four venues in Tamil Nadu on Thursday.
The first round of the four-day matches include some top India and Indian Premier League (IPL) cricketers in action. From India batter Ishan Kishan to domestic talent such as Abdul Samad, here is a list of the top players in action in the Buchi Babu tournament.
ISHAN KISHAN (JHARKHAND CRICKET ASSOCIATION)
The wicketkeeper-batter is captaining Jharkhand Cricket Association against Madhya Pradesh in Tirunelveli. Kishan is playing his first red-ball match since July last year, when the Indian team toured West Indies for a two-match series. The left-handed batter last played for India in November 2023 during a five-match T20I series against the touring Australian side. Earlier this year, Kishan fell out of favour with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and lost his central contract and hasn’t donned the national jersey since. Though he featured in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year, the Patna-born 26-year-old will be keen to return to national reckoning.
SARFARAZ KHAN, MUSHEER KHAN (MUMBAI)
The talented Mumbai-born batter made his much-awaited Test debut earlier this year against the visiting English side and impressed with scores of 62 and 68 in Rajkot. With three half-centuries in five Test innings so far, Sarfaraz will be eyeing to further cement his spot in the Indian Test team ahead of a packed domestic schedule. The 26-year-old is in action for Mumbai, against Haryana in Coimbatore, and has for company his 19-year-old younger brother Musheer, who starred in India’s U19 World Cup campaign and in the Ranji Trophy earlier this year.
India’s Sarfaraz Khan in action against England in Rajkot. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU
ABDUL SAMAD, VIVRANT SHARMA (JAMMU & KASHMIR)
Big-hitting batter Samad is one of the biggest names to emerge from the Jammu & Kashmir cricket circuit and is in action for his State team against Chhattisgarh in Natham. Samad has been a regular for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL since 2020 but is yet to have a breakout season. On the other hand, Vivrant, also from J&K, had an impressive IPL debut last year, scoring a 47-ball 69 in his first innnings in the league for Sunrisers Hyderabad, against Mumbai Indians.
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Abdul Samad plays a shot. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU
ANSHUL KAMBOJ, SUMIT KUMAR, NISHANT SINDHU (HARYANA)
Kamboj was pivotal in guiding Haryana to its maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy title last year, picking 17 wickets in 10 matches, and later also earned a contract in the IPL with Mumbai Indians. The pacer played three matches in the IPL this year, picking two wickets at an economy rate of 11.40.
Sumit also played a vital role in Haryana lifting the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and was named the Player of the Match in the final and also the Player of the Tournament. The all-rounder picked 18 wickets in seven matches and also scored 183 runs with the bat. That earned him an IPL contract with Delhi Capitals, whom he represented in four matches this year.
Haryana bowler Sumit Kumar celebrates the wicket of Rajasthan captain Deepak Hooda during the Vijay Hazare Trophy final. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU
Sindhu was instrumental in India winning the U19 World Cup in 2022, and was picked by Chennai Super Kings for Rs. 60 lakh in the auction that year. The left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder is yet to make his IPL debut but has had creditable performances in First-Class cricket for Haryana.
ASHUTOSH SHARMA, UPENDRA YADAV (INDIAN RAILWAYS)
Ashutosh, who turned heads in the IPL this year as a death-overs specialist for Punjab Kings, is turning up for the Railways in the tournament. The swashbuckling batter hammered 189 runs in the last IPL season at a strike rate of 167.26. In First-Class cricket, he already has a fifty and a century to his name in just seven innings. The 25-year-old is being led by wicketkeeper Upendra, who has been part of India A and Rest of India squads. Upendra is also part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad in the IPL but is yet to play a match in the league.
Punjab Kings batter Ashutosh Sharma plays a shot. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU
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