Irani Cup 2026: History, full squads, schedule & venue guide

The BCCI announced the Rest of India squad for the upcoming Irani Cup on Wednesday, September 16. The Men’s Selection Committee has named the squad for the match against Ranji Trophy champions Jammu & Kashmir.

The Irani Cup 2026-27 match is scheduled to be played from October 1 to 5 in Srinagar. Rishabh Pant has been named captain of the Rest of India squad, while Sarfaraz Khan has also been given an important role in the team. Several high-profile Indian players will miss the match due to the Asian Games and India’s ODI series against the West Indies.

The Irani Cup is an important domestic first-class match that brings together the Ranji Trophy champions and the Rest of India team. Throughout this article, we will share complete details about the Irani Cup 2026, including its history, squads, schedule, venue and other important information.

Irani Cup 2026: J&K vs Rest of India set for October 1-5 in Srinagar

The BCCI has announced a 15-member Rest of India squad for the 2026 Irani Cup. Sarfaraz Khan has been named vice-captain and will serve as deputy to captain Rishabh Pant in the match against Jammu & Kashmir.

Sarfaraz has an impressive record in the Irani Cup. He has scored 168 runs in three innings for Rest of India at an average of 56, including a century. Overall, he has scored 407 runs in five Irani Cup innings at an average of 101.75, with an unbeaten 222 as his highest score.

Akash Deep has also been included in the squad, subject to fitness, after being out of action since February due to a lower-back stress injury. The squad also features experienced players such as Sudip Gharami, along with several new faces including Ayush Doseja, Sanat Sangwan, Shikhar Mohan and Smaran Ravichandran. Aryan Juyal has been named as the second wicketkeeping option behind Pant.

Full squads for the 63rd edition — Pant leads Rest of India, Dogra captains J&K

The 2026–27 Irani Cup will be the 63rd edition of the tournament. The match will be played between Ranji Trophy champions Jammu & Kashmir and Rest of India from October 1 to 5 in Srinagar. Rishabh Pant will lead the Rest of India side, while J&K will be expeceted to be led by Paras Dogra.

The Rest of India squad features several players who performed strongly in the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy season. Smaran Ravichandran scored 950 runs at an average of 86.36, while Ayush Doseja scored 949 runs at 105.44. Sanat Sangwan and Shikhar Mohan also impressed with the bat. Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain will lead the spin attack, while Mukesh Kumar, Mukesh Choudhary and Aryan Pandey add pace options.

However,Jammu & Kashmir have not yet announced their complete squad for the Irani Cup. The team will be without fast bowler Auqib Nabi Dar, who has been selected for India's ODI series against the West Indies. Nabi was J&K's leading wicket-taker in the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy season and will therefore miss the Irani Cup match.

Rest of India Squad 2026–27

Rishabh Pant(C, WK), Sanat Sangwan, Shikhar Mohan, Sudip Gharami, Sarfaraz Khan (VC), Smaran Ravichandran, Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Mukesh Choudhary, Aryan Juyal (WK), Aryan Pandey, Anukul Roy, Ayush Doseja.

(*Akash Deep's selection is subject to fitness clearance.)

Irani Cup history, venue details and why this edition matters

The Irani Trophy, also known as the Z R Irani Trophy, is an annual first-class match organised by the BCCI. It is played between the Ranji Trophy champions and a Rest of India team made up of players from different state teams. The first edition was held in March 1960 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Ranji Trophy. The BCCI later made it an annual fixture, and the tournament has been played in most seasons since 1962–63. The trophy was named after Zal R. Irani, a former BCCI president and treasurer.

Rest of India have a long history in the competition, having featured in 62 editions. They have won 30 times and finished runners-up on 30 occasions, while two matches ended with shared honours. In the last five completed editions, Rest of India have won three matches and lost two, with defeats against Mumbai in 2024 and Vidarbha in 2025.

The 2026–27 edition will be special as Jammu & Kashmir will make their maiden appearance in the Irani Cup. J&K earned their place after winning their first Ranji Trophy title in the 2025–26 season, defeating Karnataka on the basis of a first-innings lead in the final. The match will be played from October 1 to 5 in Srinagar, giving J&K a chance to face Rest of India in their first-ever Irani Cup appearance.