Vidarbha emerged as their third Ranji Trophy champions by beating Kerala in the final of 2024-25 on Sunday, March 2, with their first-innings advantage. The win has become even more remarkable after their loss against Mumbai in the last season.
Notably, a few standout performances in the competition have raised interest among the selectors as they put the players into consideration for India’s Test series in England this summer.
Among all, here are three names who may be on the selectors’ radar for India’s Tour of England 2025.
Karun Nair, Shardul Thakur, and Auqib Nabi Dar making a strong case for India’s Test squad in England after heroics in Ranji Trophy
#3 Shardul Thakur (Mumbai)
Dropped from the Indian squad after the ODI World Cup 2023, the all-rounder Shardul Thakur fought off a strong case for a return with an outstanding campaign in the Ranji Trophy.
Thakur was instrumental for Mumbai, taking 35 wickets in nine games at a rate of 22.63, with three four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul (6-58 in the semifinal). With the bat, he scored 505 runs, with a century and three half-centuries. Considering his past success in England and his future county assignment with Essex, Thakur may prove to be an excellent addition to India’s Test team.
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#2 Auqib Nabi Dar (Jammu and Kashmir)
Jammu and Kashmir’s Auqib Nabi Dar proved to be one of the tournament’s finest fast bowlers. He was second on the wickets table with 44 wickets from eight games, including six five wicket hauls and two four-wicket hauls, at a staggering average of 13.93.
Though it may be hard to break into the senior Indian team, the selectors might prepare him for the future by including him in India A tours.
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#1 Karun Nair (Vidarbha)
India’s second Test triple-centurion, Karun Nair, had a great comeback in first-class cricket. He was the fourth highest run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy with 863 runs, after an impressive season in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
As India is looking for a consistent middle-order batsman, the veteran cricketer like Karun Nair would be the best choice to support the team in the England tour.
