CHENNAI: India pacer Mohammed Siraj will lead Hyderabad in their first two Ranji Trophy matches of the 2026-27 season. The Hyderabad Cricket Association made an announcement in this regard on Saturday. CV Milind, the left-arm medium pacer, was named Siraj's deputy. Hyderabad, who are placed in Group B alongside Karnataka, Punjab and Saurashtra, will play Tripura in their season opener from October 11 to 14. Their second match will be against Andhra from October 18 to 21.
The 32-year-old pacer recently played for South Zone in their Duleep Trophy final against East Zone in Chennai. He, however, picked only one wicket bowling 41 overs across two innings in the match, which East Zone won on the basis of the first innings lead. Similarly, Siraj's show against Sri Lanka in India's two-match Test series was below par as he could manage to claim only four wickets in four innings.
Siraj led Hyderabad in their last two Ranji Trophy matches (vs Mumbai and Chhattisgarh) the previous season as well. Meanwhile, the Hyderabad squad also includes experienced batter Tanmay Agarwal, Rahul Singh and wicketkeepers Rahul Radesh and Sai Pragnay Reddy. Tanay Thyagarajan, Aniketh Reddy and Ajay Dev Goud are among the other players named in the 15-member squad.
Squad: Mohammed Siraj (capt.), C.V. Milind (VC), Tanmay Agarwal, M. Abhirath Reddy, Rahul Singh, K. Hima Teja, Rahul Radesh (wk), Sai Pragnay Reddy (wk), Varun Goud, Tanay Thyagarajan, Aniketh Reddy, Clt. Rakshann Readdi, Ajay Dev Goud, Ruthik Yadav Mende, Sai Vikas Reddy.
Standbys: Bhavesh Seth (wk), H.K. Simha, T. Ravi Teja, Shaunak Kulkarni, Mudassar Hussain, Kartikeya Kak, A. Pruthvi Reddy.