Patidar won't play in the first couple of Ranji matches [Source: X]The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association, on Tuesday, announced its squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2026-27 matches. The board has named a new captain, Shubham Sharma, who will lead in Rajat Patidar’s absence, as the regular skipper will play in India A matches.Patidar, who captained MP in the last Ranji season, will join the India A squad for the upcoming home ODI matches against Australia, and hence, he has not been picked for the first couple of rounds. Apart from him, left-arm pacer Arshad Khan has also not been selected; since, he, too, will play in India A games.Madhya Pradesh squad for Ranji Trophy 2026-27 matchesShubham Sharma (captain), Harsh Gawli (wicketkeeper), Himanshu Mantri (wicketkeeper), Yash Dubey, Chanchal Rathore, Himanshu Shinde, Atharva Mahajan, Saransh Jain, Kumar Karthikeya, Shivang Kumar, Aryan Pandey, Anubhav Agarwal, Roshan Kewat, Akshay Sharma, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Sen, and Ravi KiraExperienced Shubham Sharma given team command in Patidar's absencePatidar, who has been a successful leader for MP, was unavailable, and the selectors went ahead with the experienced Shubham Sharma to lead the team in Ranji Trophy matches. Sharma has previously led MP in the Ranji Trophy; hence, the captaincy armband was given to him.Also Read: Duleep Trophy Winning Captains From 1961 To 2026A batting all-rounder, Sharma has already played 77 first-class matches and has racked up 4785 runs for his team. He has also chipped in with the ball, and the selectors have pinned their hopes on him to deliver the goods for Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy 2026-27.Venkatesh Iyer ruled out of Ranji matchesApart from Patidar, MP will also miss the services of their key all-rounder, Venkatesh Iyer. Iyer has been a vital player for MP in the Ranji Trophy, but the all-rounder won’t be available due to an injury.He recently underwent shoulder surgery, and as a result, Iyer will miss the start of the Ranji Trophy season, which comes as a massive jolt for his side. In the 2025-26 Ranji season, Iyer scored 367 runs in 10 innings, with an average of 36.70.MP name a strong bowling attack for Ranji Trophy matchesMadhya Pradesh’s batting might be their weak link in the upcoming season, but their bowling department remains one of the strongest.The team has players with international experience, and both their pace and spin departments look solid for the red-ball season. With Avesh Khan and Kuldeep Sen, the side has a brilliant pace attack capable of dismantling the opposition.Kumar Karthikeyas and Saransh Jain, who recently made his India debut, will form the spin pair, and both have been outstanding for MP in recent seasons. Saransh picked up 30 wickets last year, and he will be oozing confidence once again.The team won its maiden Ranji Trophy championship in 2022 after beating Mumbai, and their bowling was one of the main reasons why the unthinkable happened. Hence, MP will once again rely on their attack to win the title.Also Read: Australia Announce Squad For Bangladesh And New Zealand White-Ball Series
