Rajat Patidar Appointed Captain of Madhya Pradesh Ranji Team for 2025-26 Season

Rajat Patidar, a notable rising star in Indian cricket, has been entrusted with a major responsibility as the new captain of the Madhya Pradesh Ranji Trophy team for the 2025-26 season. Patidar, who has already led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to their first IPL title in 18 years in 2025, recently captained the Central Zone team to a Duleep Trophy victory, showcasing his leadership skills.

The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) officially announced Patidar's appointment as captain, replacing Shubham Sharma. The team, which won its maiden Ranji Trophy in 2022, aims to repeat this success under his leadership. Currently, Patidar is leading the Rest of India team in the Irani Cup, competing against the Ranji champions Vidarbha.

The 15-member Madhya Pradesh squad for the Ranji Trophy includes strong batsmen like Yash Dubey, Harsh Gawli, and Shubham Sharma, while the bowling attack features pacers Kuldeep Sen and Aryan Pandey, alongside spinners Kumar Kartikeya and Saransh Jain. Other players in the squad include Himanshu Mantri, Harpreet Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Sagar Solanki, Adhiraj Pratap, Arshad Khan, and Anubhav Agarwal.

The Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season will be played in two phases: the first from October 15 to November 19, and the second from January 22 to February 1, followed by the knockout stage from February 6 to 28.

With his proven track record as a player and leader, Rajat Patidar is expected to steer Madhya Pradesh towards strong performances in the upcoming season.