The first leg of the Ranji Trophy season is done. Now we take a break and play some T20 cricket with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which kicks off on November 26 across five venues, giving a clutch of players a crucial platform to revive form with both the IPL auction and the T20 World Cup looming.
Prithvi Shaw
After losing his spot in the Mumbai team and going unsold in IPL 2025 following concerns over form, fitness and discipline, Shaw has rebooted his career in Maharashtra. The move has given him a fresh start, and he has responded with an impressive return to red-ball cricket - 470 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 92.33 in the Ranji Trophy. With the white-ball leg of the season beginning, Shaw is also in contention to lead Maharashtra once Ruturaj Gaikwad links up with the India ODI squad for the South Africa series. A natural powerplay aggressor, Shaw will be eyeing big runs and hoping to make a strong statement to IPL teams about what he could bring to the table in 2026.
Riyan Parag
Parag stepped in as Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain during Sanju Samson's injury-enforced absence in IPL 2025, but his own form failed to reach the heights of the previous season. With Samson now moving to Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Parag has a chance to reassert himself, both as a performer and as a leader, when he turns out for Assam. He hasn't been close to an India call-up for nearly a year after a shoulder injury. His form in the recent India A series against South Africa A too was lukewarm, making this an important stretch to rebuild momentum. There's also the Royals' long-term captaincy to stake a claim for, with the franchise having backed him heavily since 2018.
Venkatesh Iyer
A headline-grabbing INR 23.75 crore signing, Iyer was at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2025 with major expectations around him, only to be released a year on after a disappointing 2025 campaign. Appointed vice-captain, he managed just 142 runs in seven innings with a single half-century and wasn't used with the ball, largely because of the Impact-Player rule. With that restriction not applicable at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Iyer now has a chance to reset. He'll likely return to the top of the order for Madhya Pradesh and take on key overs for them as they look to go one better than last year's runners-up finish. For Iyer, this is a crucial window to remind IPL teams why he commanded such a high price just a year ago.
Akash Deep
Picked for INR 8.25 crore by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) ahead of IPL 2025, Akash Deep endured a frustrating season. Family reasons forced him to be a non-starter when the season began. Then, when he returned, he picked up a niggle. And by the time he started, he seemed woefully undercooked, and went at 12.8 an over across the six games he played for three measly wickets. For someone who has climbed the ranks quickly, Akash Deep is still far from being an established IPL, or T20, player, having started with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as a net bowler and then playing a handful of games across 2023-24. But Indian fast bowlers often command top billing at IPL auctions because of the flexibility they offer with regards to team balance. Which is why a good Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy could make Akash Deep an in-demand quick when the auction comes around.
Ravi Bishnoi
Picked as an uncapped player for INR 4 crore by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in 2022, Bishnoi has seen his stocks plummet sharply over the past year. The return of Varun Chakravarthy and the rise of Washington Sundar, who lends depth as an allrounder, has meant Bishnoi has slipped in the pecking order as far as the national team goes. His IPL fortunes have nosedived too; in the last two seasons, he's managed all of 19 wickets across 25 matches. Having been released, he'll hope to put in performances of note for Gujarat to once again be back in the reckoning not just among IPL teams but also the national team.
Umran Malik
He burst on to the scene at IPL 2022 hitting 156.9kph on the speed gun for Sunrisers Hyderabad, but the journey since has been anything but smooth. Malik's fitness, form and attitude have all been under the scanner, forcing him to spend more time on the sidelines and in rehab than on the cricket pitch. He missed the entire 2024-25 domestic season and the IPL that followed with bouts of injury (hip and hamstring) and illness, but has since returned and has been bowling full-tilt and has even taken part in training camps under Abhishek Nayar. Importantly, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), where Nayar is now head coach, have retained Malik for the upcoming season. After playing just one Ranji game in the first leg, Malik now has a chance to show IPL teams why he'll be an asset.