BCCI has announced that the upcoming domestic season will be full-fledged, including the Ranji Trophy. Last season, the Ranji event was scrapped due to the pandemic situation. The return of the competition will fuel the hopes of many domestic players. In this article, we take a look at five Indians for whom the upcoming domestic season will be career-defining.
IPL is a vital criterion for selection to Team India. However, domestic events also have an equal say. For the longer format, decisions will be based on the Ranji Trophy. Hence, there are plenty of stakes involved for cricketers to be at their best in the upcoming domestic season.
1) Karun Nair – The Upcoming Domestic Season Will Be Career-Defining For The Batsman
Karun Nair’s form has only gone down in recent years. Let alone his attempt to get into Team India, Nair’s position in the Karnataka squad also looks to be in danger now. He was recently replaced as the captain of the state and this could be a sign of things to come. If he does not make full use of opportunities in the upcoming season, it will be hard for Nair to even try a return to Indian Team.
2) Navdeep Saini
Navdeep Saini has fallen far behind in the Indian pace attack’s pecking order. One of the main reasons for this has been Saini’s inconsistency. He has leaked runs too often, and wickets aren’t coming at the expected rate. All of this has put him in a dangerous situation, even in IPL. The Delhi pacer needs confidence to be back at his best. A stint in the domestic circuit will do well for him. It has helped many cricketers in the past at this stage of their careers. Hence, Saini should perform very well in the next few months.
3) Harshal Patel – The Upcoming Domestic Season Will Be Career-Defining As A Good Show Could Trigger An India Spot
Unlike Karun and Navdeep, it will be under different circumstances that Harshal Patel will go into the upcoming domestic season. Having done well in the first phase of IPL 2021, all eyes would be on him if he continues the momentum to the Ranji Trophy. Being a bowling all-rounder, if Harshal also does well with the bat, it will be inevitable that he will get selected to Team India.
4) Shahbaz Nadeem
Shahbaz Nadeem has picked loads of wickets in domestic cricket and this helped him get a spot in Team India. However, in the first Test held against England in Chennai this year, the Jharkhand spinner was in poor form. Axar Patel replaced him from the next game. Then, Axar performed exceedingly well, which got him a ticket to England. Unless Nadeem manages to be at the top of the wicket-takers charts in the next Ranji season, it’s almost impossible for him to make a comeback to Team India.
5) Vijay Shankar
Vijay Shankar has the attributes of a cricketer which Team India desperately needs now. He is a top-order batsman who can bowl medium pace. However, the Tamil Nadu player’s form has been disappointing. He did not do well in the first phase of IPL 2021, too. If the form stays this way in the upcoming season, it might as well be the end of his effort to force a comeback in the near future.
