Defending champion Vidarbha on Tuesday (January 27) recalled fast bowler Yash Thakur for their must-win Ranji Trophy match against Uttar Pradesh. Vidarbha’s must-win Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Elite Group A match against Uttar Pradesh is scheduled to take place at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur from January 29 to February 1.
Thakur, who represents Punjab Kings in the cash-rich Indian Premier League, hasn’t played even Ranji Trophy match for Vidarbha in the ongoing season. In fact, his last red-ball match was against the Rest of India side in the Irani Cup match played in Nagpur from October 1 to 5, 2025.
He however played all nine matches of Vijay Hazare Trophy and picked up 19 wickets to play a major role in team’s title win. In
the summit clash played against Saurashtra on January 18, he dismissed 4 batters for 50 runs in 9.5 overs.
Two-time winners Vidarbha are currently placed third in the Elite Group A behind table-toppers Andhra and Jharkhand.
With 25 points each in six matches so far, Vidarbha (1.578) are marginally behind Jharkhand (1.605) and would need to finish in the top two to reach the quarter-finals.
In the last group stage match, Vidarbha will take on Uttar Pradesh at their home ground of VCA Stadium in Nagpur.
Harsh Dubey will continue to lead Vidarbha, who suffered their first outright defeat in 16 matches in the Ranji Trophy as Andhra beat them by eight wickets last week.
It was Vidarbha’s first defeat since their loss in the Ranji Trophy final of 2023-24, as they had remained unbeaten in their title-winning campaign in 2024-25.
Akshay Wadkar remains on the sidelines due to a wrist injury suffered during the league round of Vidarbha’s victorious campaign in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Vidarbha’s squad: Harsh Dubey (C), Yash Rathod (VC), Atharva Taide, Aman Mokhade, Parth Rekhade, Nachiket Bhute, Darshan Nalkande, Praful Hinge, Yash Kadam, Shubham Kapse, Shivam Deshmukh (WK), Rohit Binkar (WK), Ganesh Bhosle, Aditya Thakare, Satyam Bhoyar, Danish Malewar, R Samarth, Yash Thakur.
Jaiswal, Pant to miss Mumbai-Delhi match
Delhi captain Rishabh Pant and Mumbai’s Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shardul Thakur will all miss the upcoming Ranji Trophy clash between the two cricketing centres of the country.
According to The Times of India, Jaiswal recently underwent an endoscopy and is still not completely fit after being hospitalised for food poisoning a few weeks ago, while Thakur is recovering from a calf injury he picked up during the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Meanwhile, Pant strained his side during the training session before the first ODI against New Zealand and has been in Bengaluru since.
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