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Bhuvneshwar Kumar Excluded As Uttar Pradesh Announces Ranji Trophy Squad

Bhuvneshwar Kumar excluded from UP squad (Source: @Paritosh_2016/x.com)Bhuvneshwar Kumar excluded from UP squad (Source: @Paritosh_2016/x.com)

The Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) has unveiled its 22-member squad for the initial rounds of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season, with young wicketkeeper-batter Aryan Juyal taking the reins as captain. The team is gearing up for an exciting start to the season as they face Bengal on October 11 at the Ekana International Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.

Is This The End Of Road For Bhuvneshwar Kumar? 

In a notable decision, the selection committee has left veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar out of the squad. Bhuvneshwar, a seasoned campaigner with extensive experience in the domestic and international arenas, returned to first-class cricket in January 2024 after a six-year hiatus. 

However, despite his comeback, the selectors seem to be looking toward younger options for the team’s pace attack. His omission could mark a significant point in his red-ball career, as it raises questions about his future in the format, with national selectors already having moved on from him for international duties.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar's Record For Uttar Pradesh

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been a mainstay in the Uttar Pradesh team over the years. He has claimed 231 wickets in 72 first-class matches with an impressive best spell 8/41. However, it is important to mention that his last Test appearance for India dates back to 2018, and since then, he has faced stiff competition from a new crop of pace bowlers in the national setup. 

His last appearances in the T20I and ODI formats were in 2022, after which he has not featured in the international squad.

With the red-ball squad’s doors seemingly closed for the veteran, he may now consider focusing on the white-ball formats and exploring opportunities in various T20 leagues. 

His future in the domestic circuit remains uncertain, especially with Uttar Pradesh’s selection committee indicating a desire to invest in younger talent for the Ranji Trophy campaign.

UP Squad For Ranji Trophy

Aryan Juyal (captain, Wk), Swastik Chikara, Priyam Garg, Akshdeep Nath, Nitish Rana, Saurabh Kumar, Ankit Rajpoot, Aaqib Khan, Vipraj Nigam, Yash Dayal, Shivam Sharma, Siddhartha Yadav, Madhav Kaushik, Vijay Kumar, Aaditya Sharma (Wk), Kritagya Singh; Standby: Atal Bihari Rai, Prince Yadav, Abhishek Goswami, Vineet Panwar, Vaibhav Chaudhary and Kartikey Jaiswal