Ranji Trophy 2022-23: Bengal veteran Manoj Tiwary hints at retirement at the end of ongoing season
The Veteran batter hinted at retirement at the end of the current domestic season saying that he wants to give Bengal a Ranji Trophy title on his way out.
Manoj Tiwari scored a crucial 60* knock in the second innings of theRanji Trophy 2022-23 match against Uttar Pradesh to guide Bengal to a six-wicket win on Friday, December 16. But the veteran batter also hinted at retirement at the end of the current domestic season. Manoj said that he wants to give Bengal a Ranji Trophy title on his way out.
Bengal reached the semi-finals of the last edition of the Ranji Trophy tournament but lost to Madhya Pradesh. They last won the tournament in 1989-90. Moreover, they have played in the three finals during the 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2019-20 seasons.
Tiwari was part of all three lost finals but now has expressed his desire to win the title for Bengal this season. He said that his team must take the game to the next level.
"We have to play like champions. We won today, but it's not like we played exceptional cricket. If we look session-by-session, there were phases when we bowled badly. And our opening batters must score runs. If we want to win the Ranji Trophy, we must take our game to the next level," Tiwari said to reporters after the match as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
"I am quite relaxed about leading the team" â Manoj Tiwari
The 37-year-old batter led the team in the absence of regular captain Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has joined India's Test squad on the Bangladesh tour. Tiwari also expressed his feeling about leading the team once again after three seasons. Tiwari said that he has to take responsibility in Easwaran's absence and he is relaxed about it.
"I am quite relaxed about leading the team. When I stepped down as the first-class captain of Bengal , I was told to continue as captain of the one-day and T20 sides, but I had refused, telling them that we need to groom a younger player as captain. But in Abhimanyu's absence, I realised I have to take this responsibility because decision-making is such a crucial part of the game."
Tiwari has been a stalwart for Bengal in domestic cricket with over 15000 runs. Meanwhile, he has also appeared for India in 15 white-ball matches and scored one hundred and a fifty (both in ODIs). However, he was not able to cement a regular place in the national team. But, he has enjoyed good success in domestic cricket with Bengal.
The controversy over the key members of the Indian Test team not being selected for major domestic cricket tournaments continues to grow. Now The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has expressed strong displeasure over the exclusion of top international players like KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj from the South Zone team for the upcoming Duleep Trophy.
After this, the Board has officially written a letter to all the state associations asking them to give priority to the selection of centrally contracted players for this opening tournament of the domestic season.
South Zone announced its team on July 27. Many big names like KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna and Sai Sudharsan were not included in it.
The Duleep Trophy, which begins in Bengaluru on August 28, is considered an important platform for domestic and national level talents. The board did not like the decision of the South Zone to not include these players in the team despite their availability during the off-season.
Abey Kuruvilla wrote the email
BCCI General Manager of Cricket Operations Abey Kuruvilla addressed the issue in an email sent to zonal coordinators and state units last week. According to the reports, Kuruvilla stressed the importance of ensuring the participation of all available Indian players to maintain the prestige and competitive level of the Duleep Trophy.
Kuruvilla wrote in the email, “To uphold its prestige and ensure the highest quality of competition, it’s imperative that all currently available India players are selected for their respective zonal teams. Requesting the Zonal Convenors to ensure that all the current India players who are available to play Duleep trophy should be picked.”
“All players, contracted or otherwise, who make themselves available for selection into Team India, shall participate in domestic matches conducted by BCCI,”
“In case any player opts not to participate in any domestic cricket tournaments in spite of availability, he/she shall not be considered for selection unless a prior recommendation is obtained to skip the match/tournament from the National coach and the chairman of the selection committee, and prior approval from the BCCI. In case any leave is granted, the same shall be considered on the basis of some valid and cogent reason.” the email said.
Instructions to give priority to domestic cricket
This directive is in line with the BCCI's policy of making participation of international players mandatory in domestic competitions. The board had previously warned players against giving priority to the IPL over first-class cricket and earlier this year reminded all contracted players to remain committed to the domestic calendar.
However, this instruction from BCCI has come after South Zone announced its team. It is still not clear whether the selectors will make any changes in their list or not. Tilak Verma was made the captain of the team.
Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh and Shreyas Iyer among many other players are expected to participate in the tournament representing their respective regions.
The state associations have previously expressed concern that the automatic inclusion of Indian stars in the regional teams overlooks Ranji players who have performed consistently throughout the season.
Many have argued that matches such as India A tours and Board President's XI would be a more suitable platform for international players, leaving regional tournaments as a rewarding avenue for domestic players.
Ranji Trophy: Ajinkya Rahane steps down from Mumbai captaincy ahead of the new season
Ajinkya Rahane decided to step down from Mumbai Ranji Trophy team for forthcoming season. Rahane posted on X that he will continue to be available to play for Mumbai.
Veteran batsman Ajinkya Rahane, on Thursday, has resigned from the captaincy ahead of the upcoming Ranji Trophy season. In a message on social media, Rahane made it clear that this is the time when the team should get a chance to develop new leadership.
Captaining and winning championships with the Mumbai team has been an absolute honour.
With a new domestic season ahead, I believe it’s the right time to groom a new leader, and hence I’ve decided not to continue in the captaincy role.
'I believe it’s the right time to groom a new leader'
Rahane posted on his social media account that he would not continue as Mumbai captain in Ranji Trophy but would continue to represent the side as a player.
“Captaining and winning championships with the Mumbai team has been an absolute honour. With a new domestic season ahead, I believe it’s the right time to groom a new leader, and hence I’ve decided not to continue in the captaincy role. I remain fully committed to giving my best as a player and will continue my journey with @MumbaiCricAssoc to help us win more trophies. Looking forward to the season,” Rahane wrote on his X account.
Mumbai Team under Rahane's captaincy
Under Rahane's captaincy, Mumbai achieved stability and success in domestic cricket. Under his leadership, Mumbai ended a seven-year drought by winning the Ranji Trophy in 2023–24. Apart from this, he also led the team to victory in the Irani Cup in 2024-25 and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2022-23. These victories took his captaincy to new heights.
Despite giving up captaincy, the 37-year-old, who has scored over 14,000 runs in 201 first-class matches, made it clear that he is not retiring. He will continue to represent Mumbai as a batsman in all formats.
Rahane said that he will work for the team as a batsman with full enthusiasm and commitment. His main goal is to bring success to the team and help the new captain in his development.
India allrounder Shardul Thakur will lead the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team for forthcoming season.
Thakur leading Mumbai was always on the cards especially after he was appointed as West Zone captain for Duleep Trophy. It is understood that the Mumbai senior selection committee spoke to Rahane before the season and had taken his feedback about future captaincy candidates.
Thakur has been playing a vital role in Mumbai’s Ranji success over the past few years. In addition to wickets, he has also bailed out Mumbai with lower-order runs. He also scored 505 runs for Mumbai last season where he slammed one hundred. He also took 35 wickets in nine matches.
Bengal Cricket: Sudip Gharami and Tanusree Sarkar win C.A.B Cricketer of the Year Awards 2025; Rahul Prasad shines in U23
Sudip Gharami and Tanusree Sarkar won the C.A.B. Cricketer of the Year 2024/25 awards for men's and women's, respectively. Rahul Prasad won everything in the Men's U23 category. Dhara Gujjar won the highest run getter in Senior Women's ODI award.
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) is all set to celebrate the remarkable achievements of its cricketers as it announced the awardees for the 2024-25 season. The awards ceremony will recognise exceptional talent across various categories, spanning senior men’s, senior women’s, and junior levels, including under-23, under-19, under-16, under-15, and club league categories.
When is the C.A.B. Award Ceremony?
As per multiple reports, the C.A.B. Award Ceremony for the 2024-25 season will take place on 30 August 2025 at the Dhana Dhanya Auditorium in Kolkata.
Who are the winners?
Sudip Gharami was named the C.A.B. Cricketer of the Year for 2024-25 season. Image | CAB Media
In the senior men’s category, Sudip Gharami was named Cricketer of the Year, while Shahbaz Ahmed and Sayan Ghosh shared the Gentleman Cricketer and Best Fast Bowler awards, respectively. This is the second time Gharami will recieve the Cricketer of the Year Award.
Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal wins C.A.B. Highest Wicket-taker of the Year Award for consecutive seasons. Image | C.A.B. Media
Sudip Chatterjee earned the Highest Run Getter for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy, andSuraj Sindhu Jaiswal will be honoured as the Highest Wicket Taker in the same tournament.
Tanusree Sarkar won the Best Senior Women's Cricketer of the Year Award. Image | C.A.B.
The senior women’s category saw Tanusree Sarkar and Dhara Gujjar clinching the Highest Run Getter awards in the T-20 and One Day Tournaments, respectively, with Saika Ishaquerecognised as the Highest Wicket Taker in the T-20 Tournament. Tanusree also won the Best Senior Women's Cricketer of the Year Award.
Both Tanusree and Dhara are with the India-A team in Australia at the moment.
Rahul Prasad won all the awards in U-23 Men's Category. Image | C.A.B.
Among the junior categories, Rahul Prasad dominated the under-23 men’s section, securing multiple awards, including Best Cricketer and Highest Wicket Taker.
Dyuti Paul won the Best U-23 Women's Cricketer of the Year Award. Image | C.A.B.
Dyuti Paul and Sushmita Ganguly shone in the under-23 women’s category, with Paul named Best Women's U-23 Cricketer and Ganguly as the Highest Wicket-taker for Bengal in Women's Under-23 One Day Tournament.
In the under-19 category, Vishal Bhati emerged as a key figure, winning Best Cricketer and Highest Wicket Taker, while Ipshita Mondal led the under-19 women’s section with the Highest Run Getter awards.
Sachin Yadav and Sandipta Patra were standout performers in the under-16 and under-15 categories, respectively, with Yadav named Best Bowler and Patra the Highest Run Getter.
The club league category will see Sayan Paul being honoured as the Best Under-19 Cricketer, rounding off a comprehensive recognition of talent across all levels.
Exclusive: 'Honoured' Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal can't wait to bowl alongside Indian pacers in Duleep Trophy 2025
Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal has taken 60 wickets in the 12 first-class matches he has played so far in his career for Bengal. He was the highest wicket-taker for Bengal in both seasons he has played.
East Zone announced their squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2025 on Friday, featuring a bowling lineup reminiscent of an Indian team, including Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, and Akash Deep.However, there is one Bengal pacer who made an entry into the squad after performing well in Ranji Trophy in last two seasons.
Bengal's medium pacer all-rounder Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal has been named in the West Zone squad. Ishan Kishan will lead the side, whereas Abhimanyu Easwaran will be the vice-captain of the team. Right after his selection, Suraj shared his thoughts in an exclusive interview with Sportz Point.
Suraj nearly left cricket in 2023
Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal won the player of the match medalfor his 8-wicket haul against Assam in Ranji Trophy 2023-24. Image | CAB
There was one time when Suraj wanted to leave cricket and went into depression. Suraj had already lost his father, but his mother, brother and coach supported him immensely, and their belief turned into a result when he got selected for the Ranji Trophy 2023-24 season after a great season with Calcutta Customs Club.
Since then, Suraj has been Bengal's highest wicket-taker in consecutive seasons and has taken60 wickets in just 12 first-class matches at an outstanding average of 15.43. Suraj feels it is his consistency and process that have given him the results so far.
"Feeling very happy after the selection. These selections give you more confidence that I have been doing well. But, I will have to justify this with better performances," Suraj told Sportz Point.
Reflecting back on his journey, Suraj feels he is on the right track but needs to focus on the present without looking too far.
"You know that I was about to leave cricket. But, I have been able to go through that period and representing Bengal in Ranji Trophy was a dream. Now, when I am going into the next stages of Indian cricket, I need to focus on the things at hand and do what has worked well for me."
Suraj in the background as Shami delivered ball during MP vs Bengal Ranji Trophy match. Image | PTI via ESPN Cricinfo
It will not be new for Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal to bowl alongside Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar or Akash Deep. In the 2024-25 season, Suraj bowled in tandem with India's one of best, Mohammed Shami. But getting selected for the East Zone team when all of these three bowlers are available makes it more special for him.
"To be honest, I am honoured. Getting into a squad where all of them (Shami, Mukesh and Akash Deep) are there feels special. All of them have played for India, and I am just willing to learn as much as possible from them."
However, it is quite clear as well that with Shami, Mukesh and Akash Deep being there, it would be hard for Suraj to get a game. But for Suraj, he never thinks about selection before the match. For him, selection is never in his hands, and that's why he does not want to think about something which is not under his control.
"Even in Ranji Trophy, I do not think about selection. I try to focus on the preparation and getting ready for them. That has been my habit. So, in Duleep Trophy, I will just focus on my preparation," Suraj expressed.
It was in tournaments like the Duleep Trophy where Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep made their names before getting that India cap. Is Suraj thinking about that too?
"No. I just want to keep doing what I have done well to get here," he answered.
"Yes, the dream is to get there (the Indian team). But I do not want to think too far and lose my focus. I trust in God and whatever he chooses for him. I just want to keep improving myself."
Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal scored his maiden first-class ton against Punjab at Eden Gardens. Image | CAB
Apart from his bowling, Suraj last season proved himself with the bat as well. With his maiden first-class ton against Punjab in the last of the season, Suraj showed he is ready to be an all-rounder as well. By the way, he also took 8 wickets in that match.
"It is about contributing to the team, with bat, ball or fielding. Helping the team is the main goal. Yes, I have been working on my batting as well. So, feels good to have a first-class ton beside my name, but I need to keep improving.
BCCI has announced the schedule for the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2025 which begins on August 28 in Bengaluru. After this, the announcement of the names of team captains has also started. This time also, like the old format, teams from four zones will participate in it. Now, as per the latest developments, the squad of West Zone has been announced.
While Shardul Thakur has been made the new captain of the team, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara have not found a place in the team.
Shreyas and Jaiswal will play under Shardul's captaincy
The West Zone team has been announced for the Duleep Trophy. This time the captaincy has been handed over to Shardul Thakur. Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal will be seen playing under the captaincy of Shardul Thakur. Apart from this, Sarfaraz Khan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tushar Deshpande have also been included in the team.
However, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, who have been playing continuously for this team, are not seen in the squad this time.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane last played a Test match for India in 2023. Pujara played a crucial role in India’s Test series victories in Australia in 2018-19 and 2020-21. Notably, Rahane captained Team India to a memorable Border-Gavaskar Trophy win in 2020-21 despite several key players being unavailable.
Shreyas Iyer set to available for West Zone
Shreyas Iyer had made himself available for the upcoming Duleep Trophy. The middle-order batter has played 14 Test matches for India. However, he has not been part of the Test setup since February 2024, when he last featured against England.
Iyer was a key figure in India’s Champions Trophy-winning campaign in Dubai earlier this year. He also scored 480 runs in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy at an average of 68.57, including two centuries. He continued his form into the IPL, where he led Punjab Kings to their first final in over a decade.
According to Cricbuzz, South Zone and West Zone have been handed direct qualification into the Duleep Trophy 2025 semifinals. And the two quarterfinals are already set.
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