Orissa Ranji team announced for league matches

A 15-member Odisha team selected for league stages of the Ranji Trophy tournament to start on November 2 at Cuttack. Right hand batsman Natraj Behera will lead the team, announced Odisha Cricket Association’s Asirbad Behera on Monday.

“We have selected a well-balanced team and are hopeful that the team will put up a good show this season,” said Behera. He further stated that all the players are in good form.

All-rounder Biplab Samantray has been selected as the vice-captain of the team. Young players have been given chance in the team to showcase their talent while senior players like Niranjan Behera and Bikash Pati have been given a miss by the selectors. Spinner Anil Buda and batsman Sandip Mulia will make their debut in the Ranji season. The selectors have included three all-rounders Rakesh Mohanty, Dipak Behera and Biplab Samantray in the squad which will face the strong Tamil Nadu team.

Odisha will take on star-studded Tamil Nadu team at Driems cricket ground. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu team arrived in the state on Monday to play the tournament. The team is studded with international cricketers like R Ashwin, L Balaji and Murali Vijay.

The Odisha team had put up a poor show in the last season of Ranji tournament and was crashed out of the tournament in the first stage itself.