Debasis Sen, Kolkata
Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Focus on Shami and Akash Deep as Bengal start against Uttarakhand at EdenThe buzz around the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season-opener between Bengal and Uttarakhand at the iconic Eden Gardens was largely subdued until Tuesday. However, the arrival of Team India pacer Mohammed Shami suddenly brought the spotlight back on the Bengal camp.
The home side, who finished runners-up 11 times in the tournament’s history, will be eager to go the distance this season. Led by the experienced Abhimanyu Easwaran, Bengal will begin their campaign with renewed confidence, especially with the return of Shami and Akash Deep to their ranks.
Shami, who landed in Kolkata on Monday night, attended Bengal’s practice session at Eden Gardens on Tuesday. The 34-year-old pacer, with 340 first-class wickets to his name, drew all the attention during training. Cameras were trained on him as he took the field, first spending time with the bat before bowling for around 20 minutes. Later, he was seen in an intense conversation near the centre with head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla and fellow pacer Akash Deep.
Shami’s inclusion is expected to significantly boost Bengal’s bowling attack in the first two matches against Uttarakhand and Gujarat — both to be played at Eden Gardens.
Given the pace-friendly nature of the Eden wicket — known for its bounce and carry — Bengal are likely to go with a four-pronged pace attack. The quartet could comprise Mohammed Shami, Akash Deep, Ishan Porel, and Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal. The team is expected to rely on just one specialist spinner, Vishal Bhati, who can also bat.
On the batting front, the responsibility will fall squarely on skipper Abhimanyu and senior batter Anustup Majumdar to anchor the innings. Batters like Sudip Chatterjee, Sudip Gharami, Abhishek Porel, and Saurav Singh — all of whom showed flashes of brilliance in the past. Their consistency will be crucial in providing the team with stability and momentum.
With the presence of international stars and a balanced line-up, Bengal will be keen to start their campaign on a strong note and shed the ‘runner-up’ tag that has haunted them for years.
Squads:
Bengal: Abhimanyu Easwaran (c), Abishek Porel (wk), Saurabh Singh, Sumanta Gupta, Akash Deep, Kazi Saifi, Sudip Gharami, Shakir Habib Gandhi, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Mohammed Shami, Sumit Mohanta, Vishal Bhati, Sudip Chatterjee.
Uttarakhand: Kunal Chandela (c), Prashant Chopra (wk), Jagadeesha Suchith, Saurabh Rawat, Sagar Rawat, Mayank Mishra, Abhay Negi, Avneesh Sudha, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Bhupen Lalwani, Rajan Kumar, Aanjaneya Suryavanshi, Jagmohan Nagarkoti, Devendra Singh Bora, Shashwat Dangwal, Harsh Patwal, Aarav Mahajan.
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