Indore: Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) has announced a 17-member squad for the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season, with middle-order batter Shubham Sharma appointed captain in the absence of regular skipper Rajat Patidar. Sharma, who has previously led Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, will take charge as the team begins its preparations for another domestic first-class campaign.

The decision comes after Patidar was named in the India A squad for the three-match one-day series against Australia A, beginning October 6. Left-arm fast bowler Arshad Khan has also been selected for the India A side, making both players unavailable for Madhya Pradesh’s opening Ranji Trophy matches.

Shubham Sharma gets another leadership opportunity

Shubham Sharma is an experienced domestic cricketer who can contribute with both bat and ball. Apart from his middle-order batting role, he occasionally bowls right-arm off-break and has previously captained Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy.

His appointment gives the team a familiar leadership option while Patidar is away on India A duty. Sharma’s experience will be particularly important as Madhya Pradesh enter the season with a combination of established domestic performers and younger players.

The MPCA selectors have retained several experienced names in the squad, including India internationals Avesh Khan and Kumar Karthikeya. Fast bowler Kuldeep Sen, who has been known as the ‘Rewanchal Express’, also features in the 17-member group.

Patidar and Arshad unavailable

Patidar captained Madhya Pradesh during the previous Ranji Trophy season but will miss the opening matches because of his India A commitment. Arshad Khan will also be unavailable for the same reason.

The India A one-day series against Australia A is scheduled to begin on October 6, with the Ranji Trophy Elite phase beginning on October 11. The timing means Madhya Pradesh will start the domestic season without two players who were part of its leadership and bowling resources.

Venkatesh Iyer is another notable absentee. The left-handed batter and right-arm medium-pacer is recovering from surgery and has therefore not been included for the opening campaign.

Experienced bowling attack

Despite the absences, Madhya Pradesh have several experienced bowling options. Avesh Khan brings international experience to the pace department, while Kuldeep Sen provides another established fast-bowling option.

The spin attack includes Kumar Karthikeya and Saransh Jain. Jain recently made his Test debut for India against Sri Lanka in Colombo on August 23, adding further experience to the spin department.

The squad also contains several players who can provide depth across the batting and bowling departments. Harsh Gawli and Himanshu Mantri are the two wicketkeeping options, while Yash Dubey, Chanchal Rathore, Himanshu Shinde and Atharva Mahajan are among the batting choices.

Madhya Pradesh open campaign against Jammu and Kashmir

The 2026-27 Ranji Trophy Elite phase is scheduled to begin on October 11. Madhya Pradesh are listed in Elite Group A and will open their campaign against Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar from October 11 to 14. Their second listed match is against Puducherry from October 18 to 21, before they face Bihar at the Holkar Stadium in Indore from October 26 to 29.

The first phase of the Elite competition runs until November 5, followed by the second phase from January 17 to February 4. The knockout matches are scheduled from February 9 to March 3.

With Patidar and Arshad unavailable at the start and Iyer recovering from surgery, Madhya Pradesh will rely on its experienced domestic players while giving opportunities to younger members of the squad.

Full Madhya Pradesh squad

The 17-member Madhya Pradesh squad for the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season is:

Shubham Sharma (captain), Harsh Gawli (wicketkeeper), Himanshu Mantri (wicketkeeper), Yash Dubey, Chanchal Rathore, Himanshu Shinde, Atharva Mahajan, Saransh Jain, Kumar Karthikeya, Shivang Kumar, Aryan Pandey, Anubhav Agarwal, Roshan Kewat, Akshay Sharma, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Sen and Ravi Kiran.

Madhya Pradesh will begin the new campaign seeking another deep run in India’s premier domestic first-class competition. The side won its maiden Ranji Trophy title in June 2022 after defeating 41-time champions Mumbai in the final in Bengaluru.