3 fresh faces to keep an eye on in Irani Cup 2026

The Irani Cup 2026-27 got underway on October 1, 2026, in Srinagar, with Jammu & Kashmir, the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy champions, taking on Rest of India. The match also serves as the precursor to the Ranji Trophy season, which begins on October 11, 2026.

Several players in both squads will be looking to use this platform to press their case ahead of the domestic season. Three names in particular stand out as fresh faces worth following closely throughout the contest.

3. Shikhar Mohan

Shikhar Mohan is a 21-year-old batter from Jharkhand who has earned his place in the Rest of India squad on the back of a strong run of form across the previous domestic season. He was Jharkhand’s leading run-scorer in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, finishing with 613 runs from 12 innings at an average of 55.72. His form carried into the Duleep Trophy, where he posted scores of 85 and 52 in the final against South Zone. On Day 1 of the Irani Cup, Mohan continued in the same vein, scoring 60 off 118 balls with nine fours and one six, underlining why selectors backed him for this assignment.

2. Ravichandran Smaran

Ravichandran Smaran is a 23-year-old left-handed batter from Karnataka who topped the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy run charts with 950 runs from 14 innings at an average of 86.36. His tally included four centuries and three fifties, among them an unbeaten 227 against Chandigarh. Smaran’s output placed him alongside Ayush Doseja, who scored 949 runs in the same season, as one of the two highest run-getters in that edition. He was rewarded with a Rest of India squad berth for the Irani Cup. While he did get starts in the Duleep Trophy, he was unable to convert them into substantial scores, making this match an opportunity to demonstrate consistency at a higher level.

1. Sunil Kumar

Sunil Kumar is a left-arm seamer who was part of the Jammu & Kashmir side that won the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy. He took 31 wickets in nine games during that campaign at an average of 15.77, including two five-wicket hauls. Kumar formed a key part of the J&K bowling attack alongside Auqib Nabi, who finished as the highest wicket-taker in that Ranji Trophy season. J&K now look to lift the Irani Cup and Kumar will be expected to lead the seam attack on what is going to be a helpful surface in Srinagar. The Ranji Trophy season begins on October 11, 2026, giving him added motivation to perform well in this fixture.