The DDCA has announced the squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, but the decision comes as a surprise.
Star leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi has been dropped from the team, while Nitish Rana has been appointed captain.
This appears to be a result of a heated argument between the two during the Delhi Premier League (DPL). Digvesh, who played for the Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025, will no longer play for Delhi. This news has caused a stir among cricket fans.
The DDCA stated that the tournament begins on November 26, and Delhi will play matches in Elite Group D in Ahmedabad against Jonkerhand, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Saurashtra, and Tripura.
Nitish Rana replaces Digvesh Rathi as Delhi captain for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 after a reported DPL clash.
Digvesh’s exclusion is surprising because he was recently retained by the LSG for IPL 2026
In IPL 2025, he played 13 matches and took 14 wickets, averaging 26.35. However, the DDCA selectors felt he was not fit for the SMAT.
Is Nitish Rana’s captaincy a new beginning or the result of old rivalries?
Now let’s talk about Nitish Rana. The DDCA has appointed him as the Delhi captain. Rana recently relocated from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi and will play for the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026.
He performed brilliantly in DPL 2025, scoring 134, 45, and 79*, helping West Delhi Lions win the title.
But it was during this tournament that he had a heated argument with Digvesh. The selectors, including Yashpal Singh, K. Bhaskar Pillai, Manu Nair, head coach Sarandeep Singh, CAC chairman Vijay Dahiya, and DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma, supported Rana.
The squad includes young players like Ayush Badoni, Priyansh Arya, and Suyash Sharma. Simarjeet Singh, Anuj Rawat, and Prince Yadav, who have IPL experience, are also in the team.
Veteran pacers Ishant Sharma and Navdeep Saini will depend on their fitness, as they are recovering at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
Harshit Rana’s availability is also unlikely, as he is busy with the ODI and T20I series against South Africa.
Delhi has won the SMAT only once, that too in 2017-18 under the captaincy of Pradeep Sangwan. It will be interesting to see how the team performs this time under Rana’s leadership.
While Digvesh’s exclusion is a major blow after the IPL retentions, the selectors’ decision is final. Fans are now looking forward to the group stage matches.
