Ranji Trophy 2024/25: Bengal visits Uttar Pradesh in opening round Group C clash

Bengal’s experienced batting core—Majumdar, Abhimanyu, and Gharami—will be bolstered by the return of Wriddhiman Saha and Sudip Chatterjee from Tripura. Uttar Pradesh will begin its tenure under new captain Juyal.

FILE PHOTO: Anustup Majumdar will lead Bengal after veteran Manoj Tiwary’s retirement. | Photo Credit: PTI

The quest to bolster the Indian Test team’s bench strength by identifying players with the requisite skill and temperament continues, as the latest edition of the Ranji Trophy begins on October 11.

The first round of fixtures in India’s premier domestic tournament includes a clash between two former champions, as Uttar Pradesh (UP) takes on Bengal in a Group C encounter in Lucknow.

Facing each other in the same group for the second consecutive edition, both teams will be seeking a stronger performance after failing to progress beyond the group stage last time. However, the task will not be straightforward, as they will have to overcome a challenging group that includes Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Haryana.

Following the retirement of Manoj Tiwary at the end of last season, Bengal will be led by veteran middle-order batter Anustup Majumdar. The team’s experienced batting core— Majumdar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, and Sudip Gharami — will be further bolstered by the return of Wriddhiman Saha and Sudip Chatterjee from Tripura.

Opening batter Easwaran had a productive Duleep Trophy campaign last month, where he amassed 309 runs in three matches, including two centuries, to finish as the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament. In the Irani Cup that followed, the 29-year-old impressed again, scoring 191 runs in the first innings against Mumbai. With form on his side, his wicket will be highly prized by the UP bowlers.

Wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel adds a youthful dimension to Bengal’s batting line-up, and after strong performances in the Duleep Trophy and the Indian Premier League earlier in the year, he will be another player to watch.

India international Mukesh Kumar will lead Bengal’s pace attack, supported by trusted lieutenants Mohammed Kaif and Suraj Jaiswal. Meanwhile, Shahbaz Ahmed and Aamir Gani will pose the main threat on the spin front.

Akash Deep is included in the squad for the first two games, but with India facing New Zealand in the first Test in Bengaluru on 16 October, the pacer may be released ahead of the opening encounter.

Uttar Pradesh, too, has seen a change in leadership, with 22-year-old Aryan Juyal taking over as captain from Nitish Rana. Rana, however, remains a key figure in the middle order, alongside the experienced Akshdeep Nath.

Left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar has come close to a national team cap on multiple occasions. The 31-year-old will continue to be a threat with the red ball while also providing crucial lower-order contributions with the bat.

Left-arm pacer Yash Dayal’s impressive year earned him a national call-up for the series against Bangladesh. He will be joined in the pace department by Aaqib Khan, who impressed during the Duleep Trophy, and Ankit Rajpoot.

The previous encounter between the two teams in Kanpur in January ended in a draw, with inclement weather preventing a result. However, with this year’s competition starting earlier in October, the weather is expected to remain clear.