Best Ranji XI of the Group Stages

The 2015/16 Ranji Trophy (Image Courtesy: BCCI)Every year, the Ranji Trophy throws upon the indifferent conscience of the cricket followers a bunch of talented domestic cricketers who, with their runs and wickets almost coax you to take a look at their efforts.Some cricketers were ground to dust for years before fame was bestowed upon them. Some never achieve the attention IPL stars get, but such is the fate of domestic cricket. This year, the Ranji Trophy saw some excitingly close chases, some spicy tracks and a lot of results and audacious declarations – courtesy the new culture of attacking mindset.Interestingly, one young batsman who stood out in the IPL last year, Shreyas Iyer, showed how class can handle T20 and the travails of the longer form of cricket with equal impunity. He piled on the runs, moving head and shoulders above others.There were the usual performers and some newcomers. 10 batsmen scored more than 700 runs in a maximum of 8 matches, while six bowlers picked up more than 40 wickets in a maximum of 8 matches.We take a look at the Team of the Ranji Trophy after group stages, based not just on how many runs they scored or wickets they took but also their contribution to the team wins. Hope it allows you to appreciate the strangely slumbering premier domestic tournament of the most populous cricket playing nation that was the birthplace of many a star.

#1 Robin Uthappa (Karnataka)

Despite Karnataka not qualifying for the knockouts, Uthappa has been in great form for his team

The former national team player is having a great year, becoming the first Karnataka player in Ranji history to score three centuries in three successive innings of a single Ranji season – 160, 148 and 148 against Rajasthan, Odisha and Delhi. Uthappa has 750 runs in 13 innings, most of them at the top of the order, at an average of 58 and a strike-rate over 60.

He has three tons and three half-centuries as well. Uthappa also made history scoring 32 runs in one over against Delhi, the second most in one over in Ranji history. That pretty much gives him a pass to this list as opener and backup wicket-keeper, although CM Gautam keeps wickets for Karnataka.

#2 Akhil Herwadkar (Mumbai)

The young Mumbai opener has been instrumental at the top, so far this season

This was a tough choice considering how numerous openers played important innings without anyone stamping their authority this season. The 21-year-old Herwadkar edges past Swapnil Asnodkar (Goa’s best batsman by a comfortable distance) to take up the second opener’s slot despite similar numbers because he opens for a team that is No.1 in its group and is unbeaten so far.

Add to that the fact that Herwadkar orchestrated Mumbai’s brilliant victory over Railways, scoring 145 and 75, with Mumbai chasing down 295 in just 64 overs. Herwadkar has 741 runs in 12 innings at 57 with two tons and four half-centuries. He is handy with off-breaks too and is a good prospect in the future for an opening slot in the national team given his age.

#3 SS Iyer (Mumbai)

Shreyas Iyer has scored 930 runs at an astonishing strike rate of 95+

Definitely the star of the series and the current blue-eyed boy of Indian domestic cricket, the 21-year-old playing his second season has already racked up 15 50+ scores in 36 Ranji innings.

This year the Mumbai No.3 orchestrated the first win of the season for his team with a double ton, his first ever in first-class cricket, as Mumbai defeated Punjab by an innings and 12 runs. Iyer is on a roll this year, already scoring 930 runs in 13 innings with 3 centuries and 4 half-centuries.

What is even more incredible are his average and strike-rate. He averages 71.5 per dismissal. Only Paras Dogra and Mithun Manhas have more than 500 runs this season at a better average.

Iyer scores at an astonishing strike-rate of 95.48. Dogra’s 75 is the second highest for all those with more than 500 runs. Clearly he is making his mark and at this rate, a national call-up isn’t far away.

His capability to shift gears was seen when he scored 91 in 112 balls to help Mumbai chase down 295 against Railways in just 64 overs after a brave declaration by the latter. Iyer is the reason, SD Chatterjee, despite a brilliant season for Bengal with 712 runs batting at No.3, will not make it to this side.

#4 RS Paliwal (Services)

Rajat Paliwal has played crucial knocks for his side this season

This was probably the toughest pick of all, with Paliwal and Paras Dogra of Himachal Pradesh, both enjoying an exceptional season. It was hard to divide them based on the success of their teams as Services and Himachal Pradesh both have 3 wins in 8 outings and are fourth and third in the points table in their group.

Dogra was stunning with 2 double centuries taking his overall tally to 7 and equalling Ajay Sharma’s record for most number of double centuries in Ranji history. Dogra has 703 runs in 12 innings at a staggering average of 78.

However, most of his runs have come in the form of two double tons, one of which was in a draw on a flat wicket and the other against bottom placed Tripura. That doesn’t undermine his batting performance in anyway.

However, Paliwal played more crucial knocks even in losing causes. In the loss to Saurashtra, Paliwal scored tons in both innings and won the Player of the Match. He was Player of the Match in Services’ win against Jammu and Kashmir as well.

He is 5th on the run-scorers’ list with 753 runs in just 12 innings at 68 with a strike-rate of 67.77. Along with SD Chatterjee, he is one of two players with 4 centuries so far this season.

#5 KB Arun Karthik (Assam)

Arun Karthik has been the main reason for Assam's successes (Image courtesy: The Hindu)

He has easily been the best No.5 this season and is one of the main reasons why Assam is having a brilliant year, placed 3rd over more accomplished teams like Delhi and Karnataka.

Karthik has 723 runs at No.5 in 15 innings with 2 not-outs, an average of 55.61, two centuries and three half-centuries. He scored 151 for Assam when they thumped Rajasthan by an innings.

Two half-centuries and Player of the Match followed in Assam’s win over Haryana as well. Karthik, once part of the Tamil Nadu top order, scoring heavily has taken the burdens of the middle order to lift Assam.

He is also an occasional wicket-keeper, and he has shared duties with the other wicket-keeper Kunal Saikia. But for this team, Karthik makes the cut as the wicket-keeper, allowing us the option to play an extra batsman.

#6 PR Prem (Kerala)

Rohan Prem has been brilliant for Kerala with bat and ball (Image courtesy: The Hindu)

It was tempting to give away this spot to either Paras Dogra or SD Chatterjee, both of whom were fabulous batsmen for their teams. However, Prem has not only scored as many runs as both these players but has also picked wickets regularly for his team, thus edging the other two out.

He also edges out Parvez Rasool who had a good season for Jammu and Kashmir with the bat with over 600 runs but didn’t pick as many wickets as he was expected to take, reflecting on J & K’s poor season.

Prem is Kerala’s top run-getter with 704 runs at 58.75, including a double century. In all, he has three tons and three half-centuries this season. To add to that he also has 16 wickets at 18.81 including a four-wicket haul. Those numbers will make him handy for any Ranji team, although Kerala is in the 5th spot in their group.

#7 Jalaj Saxena (Madhya Pradesh)

Jalaj Saxena has been the best all-rounder of the group stages

He has been the best all-rounder of the season by a large margin. Saxena has 530 runs at 44 with a century and three half-centuries in 13 innings. With the ball, he is third on the list of highest wicket-takers.

The 29-year-old off-break bowler has 46 wickets at 20.30 with 4 five-wicket hauls this season. That is a phenomenal performance considering he is just three wickets short of the highest wicket tally this season.

MP is third currently in its group understandably with Saxena playing the role of two players in the team, with bat and ball. While there have been a few other all-round performances, Jalaj Saxena takes the cake with his performance against Railways, when he picked up two eight-wickets hauls in the match to help MP win by 9 wickets.

He also opens for MP, showing his ability against the new ball. That makes him the ideal player for No.7 as well.

#8 Ravindra Jadeja (Saurashtra)

Ravindra Jadeja's (L) Ranji Trophy form earned a recall to the Indian Test squad

Jadeja had a whirlwind phase in the Ranji Trophy before his performances forced the selectors to induct him straightaway into the national test squad playing South Africa. Jadeja was far ahead of any other bowler picking 38 wickets in just 8 innings. In 6 of those 8 innings, Jadeja managed to pick a five-wicket haul.

In three of the four matches, he picked up 10 wickets or more. His staggering average of 10.55 was equally complemented by his phenomenal strike-rate of 25.5, although he did get a couple of really spicy tracks to bowl on.

He has been handy with the bat too and carried the same form to the national squad. He is our pick for the spinners’ slot ahead of Ashish Wakhare who picked 49 wickets in 16 innings at 25.34. His best performance came against a top side, Jharkhand. He picked up 6/71 and 7/55 in both innings and scored a vital 58 at No.5 to help his team win by eight wickets.

#9 K Monish (Kerala)

K Monish (L) is the leading wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy season so far Image courtesy (The Hindu)

The 25-year-old Karaparambil Monish has emerged out of nowhere to lead the wicket-taking charts this season in the Ranji Trophy. The slow left-arm orthodox bowler had played all of five matches prior to this season.

However, in eight matches, he has picked up 49 wickets at an average of 17.91 and a strike-rate of 42. He has five five-wicket hauls this season. Only Ravindra Jadeja has more than that.

Monish has also taken 10 wickets in a match twice. His best performance definitely came against Saurashtra when he picked up 6/81 in the first innings and then followed it up with 5/46 in the second to help his team win the match by 45 runs against the table toppers.

#10 Krishna Das (Assam)

Krishna Das has led Assam's bowling attack (Image courtesy: Zee News

In a season extremely lean for most of the fast bowlers, Krishna Das, the right-arm medium pace bowler has held his own and has been one of the reasons behind Assam’s resurgence.

Das picked up 44 wickets in 15 innings at an average of 15.48 with three five-wicket hauls. He was devastating against Rajasthan picking up five-wicket hauls in both innings helping his team win by an innings and 152 runs.

He also helped Assam beat Haryana by six wickets with a six-wicket haul in the first innings and a four-wicket haul in the second, forming an excellent partnership with Assam’s other pacer, Arup Das. Das also picked up 7/21 against Odisha in a losing cause.

#11 Basant Mohanty (Odisha)

Mohanty has been one of the few good performers for Odisha (Image courtesy: Orissa Cricket)

Odisha haven’t had the best of seasons, but they certainly had one of the best medium pace bowlers. Basant Mohanty had a good season so far picking up 41 wickets at an average of 15.

Although his team languished in the bottom half of the table, Mohanty has performed admirably, taking Player of the Match award home for Odisha’s only win in the season against a top side like Assam.

In that match, Mohanty picked up 5/24 in the first innings to help his team win a low-scoring game by 8 wickets. The 29-year-old Mohanty has a very good first class record with 272 runs at a wonderful average of 21.73, something very few medium pace bowlers in India can boast of.