![Rajat Patidar for Madhya Pradesh [Source: X]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1794050194522_RajatPatidarforMP.jpg?type=hq)
Rajat Patidar for Madhya Pradesh [Source: X]
Madhya Pradesh have announced its 15-member squad for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27, with Rajat Patidar set to lead the side. The squad features a mix of experienced domestic campaigners and emerging talents, including IPL performers Aniket Verma and Avesh Khan.
With the tournament scheduled to begin on November 14, Madhya Pradesh will look to make a strong start to their campaign under Patidar, who has previously guided the team to the competition’s final.
Patidar to lead team featuring Aniket Verma, Saransh Jain for SMAT 2026
Rajat Patidar will once again take charge of Madhya Pradesh as they prepare for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27. The right-handed batter has been named captain of the 15-member squad, which includes several familiar names from the domestic circuit alongside players who have made their mark in franchise cricket.
Patidar is no stranger to leading Madhya Pradesh in the shortest format. He previously captained the side during the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign, guiding them to the tournament final, where they eventually faced Mumbai.
His leadership experience also extends beyond state cricket, having captained Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy, India A in select fixtures and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL.
However, the captain will be keen to make a bigger contribution with the bat this time around. During the 2025 SMAT campaign, Patidar managed 113 runs in seven innings at an average of 16.14 and a strike rate of 136.14.
Madhya Pradesh’s full squad for SMAT 2026:
Ankush Singh, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Harsh Gawli (wk), Rajat Patidar ©, Aniket Verma, Ritik Tada, Apoorv Dwivedi (wk), Saransh Jain, Kumar Kartikeya Singh, Shivam Shukla, Shivang Kumar, Avesh Khan, Tripuresh Singh, Rahul Batham and Mangesh Yadav
The upcoming edition will begin on November 14 and run until December 6, 2026. Madhya Pradesh are placed in Elite Group C and will begin their campaign against Kerala on the opening day. The match is scheduled to start at 4:30 PM IST at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Tira, New Chandigarh.
Key selections of Madhya Pradesh for SMAT 2026
Three names that stand out in Madhya Pradesh’s squad and each brings a different dimension to the side, whether through all-round contributions, explosive batting or international-level pace bowling. Saransh Jain enters the tournament following one of the most memorable performances of his domestic career.
The spin-bowling all-rounder produced a remarkable match-winning display against Bihar in the Ranji Trophy on October 26, 2026. Aniket Verma provides Madhya Pradesh with an aggressive middle-order batting option. During IPL 2026, Verma scored 43 off 18 deliveries against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Meanwhile, Avesh Khan will be one of the most experienced pace-bowling options in the Madhya Pradesh squad. At the domestic level, Avesh has consistently delivered impressive performances for Madhya Pradesh. His career-best first-class figures of 7/24 came against Hyderabad during the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy season.
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