Top 5 batters to watch out for in Ranji Trophy 2023-24 ft. Rahul Singh

The Ranji Trophy, India's premier domestic competition, gets underway on Friday and as always, it promises to throw up exciting talents who will intend to represent the country soon.

The Ranji Trophy gives its participants immense pride as they turn out for their respective states.

India's red-ball pool appears to be on the wane, and this is why the upcoming season of the Ranji Trophy will be crucial. Players, who put their hands up for selection this season, will be part of the reckoning of the national squad soon.

In this article, we bring to you five batters to watch out for in the upcoming season of the Ranji Trophy:

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#1 Rahul Singh -Hyderabad

Rahul Singh, who came back to the Hyderabad Cricket Association at the requests of the powers that be amidst a change in the governing body, led the side in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and proved himself capable of becoming a fans' favorite yet again.

The ex-Services man, who left Hyderabad in 2016 disgruntled with its unfair selection policies, has already lit the ongoing Ranji Trophy up with a stellar double-century against Nagaland on the opening day of their game in Dimapur on Friday.

Rahul, who bats in the middle order, is among the most dangerous batters on the domestic circuit. He needs just one extraordinary season to come into the national reckoning, and one thinks that this might be it.

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#2 Arslan Khan - Chandigarh

Chandigarh's Arslan Khan is one of the most fascinating talents to keep an eye out for in this season of the Ranji Trophy.

The left-handed opener has started his domestic career with a bang and has already amassed 899 runs.

Arslan, who became the first batter to score a first-class century for Chandigarh in the Ranji Trophy, has an average of 40 in this format.

His highest score of 233 not out (the said century which he turned into a double) speaks volumes of the tenacity and composure of the 24-year-old.

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#3 Shubham Sharma - Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh's Shubham Sharma, who played a critical role in their winning the Ranji Trophy in 2021-22, is another batter to watch out for this season.

Shubham, who has been made captain of the state in T20 cricket, is an experienced hand in red-ball cricket and averages close to 40.

Walking out to bat in the middle order, the right-handed batter is known to have an unflappable temperament which suits him for the longest format.

Shubham has eight centuries and 14 half-centuries to his name in first-class cricket, and one expects him to keep breaking barriers in this season.

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#4 Ravikumar Samarth - Karnataka

Karnataka opener Ravikumar Samarth, who has a stellar record in first-class cricket, can be deemed to be extremely unfortunate to not have earned an India call-up as yet.

However, the jam ahead of him when it comes to opening batters aiming to get picked for India does not help his cause.

Samarth, who is a veteran of 81 first-class matches by now but is only 30 years old, averages a healthy 39, which is fabulous for someone who is chosen to play the new ball day in and day out.

A lot will be expected of Samarth this season, and he holds the key for Karnataka challenging for major honors.

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#5 Sudip Gharami - Bengal

One of the most promising batters to come out of Bengal in the recent past is Sudip Gharami.

The southpaw, who is often shunted around the top order as well as asked to play as an opener, has made a mark for himself in the longer format of the game.

The 24-year-old has played in 18 first-class matches by now and averages an extraordinary 40.30.

He also has four centuries and six half-centuries to his name in this format.

With regular opener Abhimanyu Easwaran called up for India, Gharami may get more opportunities for his state than he usually does, and he will have to grab onto them with both hands.