Indian players in Irani Cup 2026 [Source: AFP, x]The Rest of India cricket team won the prestigious Irani Cup 2026 by defeating reigning Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir in a top-turvy final. Defending 279 runs for a win, Rest of India bowlers bundled out J&K for just 111 in the decisive innings despite conceding a 41-run advantage to the hosts in Srinagar around the halfway stage of the match.The outcome marked Rest of India’s first Irani Cup triumph since winning the 2023 title more than three years ago. Here, we rate the performances of Team India’s Test stars based on their contribution to the Rest of India team in their historic triumph.1. Sarfaraz Khan – 5/10Mumbai run machine Sarfaraz Khan is still fighting for his national recall in Tests for Team India. The explosive middle-order batter played the last of his six Tests for India back in November 2024 during a series against New Zealand.Also Read- Who Is Umar Nazir Mir? Auqib Nabi's Replacement Who Got Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan's WicketsIn the Irani Cup 2026 match against J&K, Sarfaraz punched out a fighting 45 off 97 balls on a challenging first innings surface but failed to get off the mark in the second. Khan’s second innings failure will certainly not bode well for him for his Test recall hopes.2. Rishabh Pant – 1/10On his 29th birthday, experimental captain Rishabh Pant led the Rest of India team to a comprehensive Irani Cup 2026 win in Srinagar. While the senior wicketkeeper-batter is already a regular member of India’s Test side, the cricketer failed with the bat in both innings of the match against the J&K bowlers.He aggregated just 18 runs in the match at a dismal average of nine and picked up three catches behind the stumps. 3. Saransh Jain – 3/10Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Saransh Jain made his India debut just a couple of months ago with a one-off Test against Afghanistan. While the cricketer received a rare opportunity in the 2026 Irani Cup to prove himself as a viable long-term Test option for India, the 33-year-old went wicketless in the match and managed to score just 30 runs across both innings.Saransh listed 25 of those runs during Rest of India’s second innings, but his 70-run partnership with Sanat Sangwan did end up tilting the tide in his team’s favour at that stage.4. Manav Suthar – 3/10Fellow bowling all-rounder Manav Suthar also went wicketless for Rest of India in the 2026 Irani Cup match against the Jammu and Kashmir. After starting off his Test career on a dream note against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka this year, Suthar bowled 10 overs in the Irani Cup 2026 match in Srinagar, conceding 32 runs in the process at an economy of 3.20.He also scored just 18 runs with the bat, which included a time-binding 16 off 48 balls in the second innings. After his underwhelming returns, it remains to be seen whether Suthar will get additional opportunities in the Indian Test XI going forward.5. Akash Deep – 9/10Bengal fast bowler Akash Deep has not played a single Test match for India since returning from England in August last year. Desperate to make his international return, the speedster just lit up the 2026 Irani Cup with twin sensational spells in Srinagar.The cricketer picked up six wickets in the match, aided by two three-fers as he demonstrated his frugality with the new ball and the old. Moreover, batting at number nine, Akash Deep also struck a crucial 22 off 24 balls as he stitched together a vital partnership with centurion Ravichandran Smaran in the first innings.For his excellence with the ball and a decisive cameo with the bat, Akash gets a solid 9 out of 10 for his Irani Cup performance. 6. Mukesh Kumar – 10/10Much like Akash Deep, fellow Bengal pacer Mukesh Kumar is also aiming to find his way back into the Indian Test side. The speedster certainly made the most of his Irani Cup 2026 opportunity for the Rest of India team against the reigning Ranji Trophy winners.The 33-year-old picked up eight wickets in the match, which included a clean-up job of Jammu and Kashmir batters in the second innings. The fast bowler picked up near career-best first-class bowling figures of 6-33 in just 10.4 overs, as his spell helped Rest of India skittle the hosts for just 111 all out despite reaching 54-0 at one stage.For his eight-wicket match haul, Mukesh Kumar gets a perfect 10, the highest among all Team India Test stars who played the 2026 Irani Cup match.Also Read- Marnus Labuschagne Returns To Form With 76-Ball Hundred Ahead Of 1st Test vs South Africa
