Breaking news in junior cricket! Anvay Dravid, the talented younger son of Indian cricket legend Rahul Dravid, has been appointed captain of Karnataka’s Under-19 team. He will lead the squad in the prestigious Vinoo Mankad Trophy, scheduled to commence in Dehradun on October 9th.
In senior cricket, experienced India batter Karun Nair is making a notable return to the Karnataka Ranji Trophy squad. After a two-season absence, Nair is poised to feature in the opening match against Saurashtra in Rajkot, starting October 15th, eyeing a strong comeback.
Nair’s return follows a successful stint with Vidarbha, where his significant contributions helped them clinch the Ranji Trophy last season. His presence is expected to bolster Karnataka’s batting lineup.
Mayank Agarwal retains his captaincy for Karnataka, providing consistent leadership. However, the veteran batter Manish Pandey’s absence from the squad suggests a potential end to his first-class career, a surprising development for many.
This season presents a crucial opportunity for Karun Nair to reignite his ambitions of returning to the Indian national team, demonstrating his form and proving his mettle. Nair’s previous exclusion from the Indian Test squad for the series against the West Indies had raised eyebrows, making this comeback even more pivotal for his career.
A selector had previously commented on Nair’s performance, stating, “We expected more from Karun Nair in England. It cannot be about just one innings. Devdutt Padikkal offers more options to us. We want to give at least 15–20 chances to every player, but it is not possible every time.” This sentiment highlights the competitive landscape Nair faces.
Karnataka Ranji Trophy Squad:
- Mayank Agarwal (captain)
- Karun Nair
- R Smaran
- KL Shrijith (wicketkeeper)
- Shreyas Gopal
- Vyshak Vijayakumar
- Vidwath Kaverappa
- Abhilash Shetty
- M Venkatesh
- Nikin Jose
- Abhinav Manohar
- Kruthik Krishna (wicketkeeper)
- KV Aneesh
- Mohsin Khan
- Shikhar Shetty
Karnataka Vinoo Mankad Trophy Squad:
The U-19 team, led by Anvay Dravid, includes:
- Anvay Dravid (captain, wicketkeeper)
- Nitish Arya
- Adarsh D Urs
- S Manikanth (vice-captain)
- Praneeth Shetty
- Vasav Venkatesh
- Akshath Prabhakar
- C Vaibhav
- Kuldeep Singh Purohit
- Rathan BR
- Vaibhav Sharma
- KA Tejas
- Atharv Malviya
- Sunny Kanchi
- Rehan Mohammed (wicketkeeper)