The BCCI Junior Cricket Committee on September 23 announced the Rest of India U-23 squad for the Col CK Nayudu Trophy winners match against Tamil Nadu. The four-day fixture is scheduled at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, from Thursday, October 1, to Sunday, October 4.
Priyanshu Moliya has been named captain of the Rest of India side, with Angkrish Raghuvanshi appointed as vice-captain. The 15-member squad includes two specialist wicketkeepers, Aravelly Avanish Rao and Mayank Verma, giving the selection panel cover behind the stumps across all four days.
Tamil Nadu earned the right to host this fixture after defeating Maharashtra in the 2025 Col CK Nayudu Trophy final held at Dindigul. As reigning champions, they will take on a combined Rest of India selection drawn from talented under-23 cricketers from across the country.
What is the Col CK Nayudu Trophy winners match?
The Col CK Nayudu Trophy is the BCCI’s under-23 first-class domestic cricket championship and one of the primary pathways for young Indian cricketers to progress towards senior domestic and international cricket. The competition has long been regarded as a key proving ground for the next generation of talent. It can be considered a junior cricket version of Irani Cup.
The winners versus Rest of India match is a traditional feature of the tournament that pits the champion state side against a combined selection of the best available under-23 players from the rest of the country. The fixture was reinstated in the 2026-27 domestic season calendar after a gap, signalling a renewed commitment to the under-23 format at the highest level of age-group cricket in India.
Why is the match being held at MA Chidambaram Stadium?
The match is being staged at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai because Tamil Nadu are the reigning Col CK Nayudu Trophy champions. The title holders have the right to host the Rest of India side for this prestige fixture, and the Chepauk ground provides a fitting venue for the occasion.
MA Chidambaram Stadium is one of India’s most established Test venues and has hosted international and domestic cricket at the highest level for decades. Staging an under-23 showpiece match at such a ground offers the young players on both sides an opportunity to perform in a setting that mirrors senior professional conditions, which aligns with the broader development purpose of the competition.
Rest of India U-23 full squad for Col CK Nayudu Trophy winners match
Priyanshu Moliya [C], Angkrish Raghuvanshi [VC], Ayush Jethwa, Manan Bhat, Digvijay Patil, Raxit Mehta, Aravelly Avanish Rao [WK], Mayank Verma [WK], Emanjot Singh Chahal, Chandraraj Rathod, Varun Singh Bhuie, Ganesh Suthar, Nikhil Giri, Chetan Sharma, G Sumith
