JOIN USJoshi to lead T20 squad
The team includes two men who led the State in different competitions last season. Robin Uthappa had led the Ranji Trophy team in the absence through international commitments of Rahul Dravid, and was at the helm when the hosts went down by six runs to Mumbai in the final in Mysore earlier this year.
Uthappa, however, didn’t have a great season with the bat and was replaced for the one-day tournament as skipper by R Vinay Kumar. Vinay will be Joshi’s deputy in the Hyderabad bash.
“It’s great to be back at the helm again,” said Joshi, under whom Karnataka last won the Ranji Trophy, in 1999. “I am thankful to the KSCA and the selectors for having placed faith in me. We have a lot of good young talent, the KPL came at the right time from our point of view and it’s good that we have five players who are playing in the Challengers before the T20 tournament.
“We didn’t make the all-India tournament last year, so obviously that will be our first goal this time, and I’m confident with the resources we have that we will be able to achieve that.”
The team includes Mayank Agarwal, who made the lone hundred of KPL II, as well as SL Akshay, who missed the entire tournament with a shoulder injury.
Akshay, wicket-keeper Devraj Patil and all-rounder Stuart Binny have been picked in the squad subject to clearing fitness tests, a KSCA press release said.
The squad: Sunil Joshi (capt), Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Ganesh Satish, B Akhil, Mayank Agarwal, Udit Patel, R Vinay Kumar (vice-capt), A Mithun, S Arvind, Amit Verma, Sunil Raju, Stuart Binny, SL Akshay, Bharath Chipli, Devraj Patil. Coach: K Sanath Kumar. Assistant coach: Somashekar Shiraguppi. Physio: Vinod Kumar Jain. Trainer: Anand Date.
Kazi named skipper
Abrar Kazi, meanwhile, will lead the Karnataka team in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy under-22 tournament to be held from October 11 to November 11 at Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Cuttack.
The squad: Abrar Kazi (capt), S Sanjay Kumar, KL Rahul, Zahoor Farooqui, Suraj Sampath, Shishir Bhavani, Nitin Bhille, Sadiq Kirmani, Arjun Hoysala, DV Anish, K Goutham, Aditya Sagar, BC Tarun Muthanna, P Magizhendan, Karun Nair. Coach: PV Shashikanth. Asst coach: Mansur Ali Khan. Manager: MS Ravindra. Physio: Ramakanth.