Following his successful stint as T20 skipper, Suryakumar seeks to highlight his red-ball capabilities in hopes of securing a spot in India’s Test squad. Meanwhile, Iyer aims to reinvigorate his Test career after struggling in recent matches, hoping to use this and the upcoming Duleep Trophy to find form.
Suryakumar recently captained India to a series win in his first outing as T20 skipper. Despite his success in white-ball cricket, he remains eager to prove his worth in the Test format. His solitary Test appearance came against Australia in February 2023. Utilizing the Buchi Babu tournament as a pre-season contest, he aims to showcase his red-ball credentials.
Shreyas, who last played a Test in February, also eyes a place in the Test team. He has scored only 187 runs in 12 innings since January 2023, averaging 17.00. The Buchi Babu tournament and the Duleep Trophy, where he will lead Team D, present him with crucial opportunities to regain form and confidence.
Teams (from):
- TNCA XI: R Sai Kishore (c), Pradosh Ranjan Paul (vc), Mokit RS Hariharan, G Ajitesh, Indrajith Baba, Boopathi Vaishna Kumar, S Lokeshwar (wk), SR Athish (wk), R Sonu Yadav, P Vidyuth, S Lakshya Jain, S Ajith Ram, G Govinth, CV Achyuth, H Trilok Nag and V Yudheeswaran.
- Mumbai:
Sarfaraz Khan (c), Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Akhil Herwadkar, Divyansh Saxena, Musheer Khan, Vedant Murkar, Siddhanth Addhatrao, Suryansh Shedge, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Himanshu Singh, Atharva Ankolekar, Roystan Dias, Mohit Avasthi, Sylvester Dsouza and Junaid Khan.
Sarfaraz Khan, captaining Mumbai in the Buchi Babu tournament, looks to secure a spot in the full-strength Test squad for the upcoming home season. He debuted in Tests against England earlier this year, tallying 200 runs in five innings at an average of 50.00, including three half-centuries.
The Mumbai team will face TNCA XI, led by R Sai Kishore, the leading wicket-taker in last season’s Ranji Trophy. This match offers players the chance to hone their skills and vie for selection in the Test series against Bangladesh, starting September 19 in Chennai.
Top players such as Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant are expected to be available for the Bangladesh series, intensifying competition for spots in the Test squad.
The Buchi Babu tournament also acts as a precursor to the Duleep Trophy, starting September 5. Suryakumar’s last First-Class outing was in the Duleep Trophy last year, where he scored 71 runs in four innings, averaging 17.75. Both Suryakumar and Iyer are keen to improve upon past performances and secure a place in the Test team for the forthcoming season.
