Deepak Chahar named Rajasthan captain for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27

Rajasthan Cricket Association confirmed Deepak Chahar as captain of the state’s 15-member squad for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27. Manav Suthar has been appointed vice-captain for the tournament. Rajasthan have been placed in Elite Group A, with Mumbai set to host all seven of their league-stage fixtures.

The schedule opens with a clash against Uttar Pradesh on November 14. Rajasthan then face Jharkhand on November 16, Chandigarh on November 18, Baroda on November 20 in a day-night game, Mizoram on November 22, Karnataka on November 24 and Bengal on November 26.

Apart from his captaincy duties, Deepak Chahar brings strong international credentials to the role, having represented India in 13 ODIs and 25 T20Is. Rahul Chahar, the specialist leg-spinner and Deepak’s younger cousin, is also a part of the squad. Both Deepak and Rahul featured in Rajasthan’s Ranji Trophy campaign, though Rahul did not feature for the state in the Ranji Trophy fixtures.

Why is Khaleel Ahmed missing from the Rajasthan squad?

Left-arm seamer Khaleel Ahmed has been ruled out of the squad while he continues to recover from hamstring surgery sustained during his stint with Chennai Super Kings. His international record spans 11 ODIs and 18 T20Is for India, which underlines the significance of his absence for Rajasthan. Ahead of IPL 2026, Khaleel was traded to Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 4.8 crore, and his fitness remains a point of interest for both franchise and state selectors as the season progresses.

Rajasthan Full Schedule for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27

Rajasthan Full squad for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27

Deepak Chahar (captain), Manav Suthar (vice-captain), Ajay Raj Singh, Kartik Sharma, Rahul Chahar, Ramniwas Golada, Rohan Rajbahar, Abhijeet Tomar, Himanshu Singh Rana, Honey Pratap Singh, Kunal Singh Rathore, Mahipal Lomror, Mukul Choudhary, Himanshu Nehra, Abhishek Mund.