Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Odisha announce 17-member squad for first two matches

The Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) has announced the squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2024-25, and veteran all-rounder Govinda Poddar will lead the 17-member team. Odisha in cricket hasn't had such a strong prsence in domestic cricket. Their best performance in the Ranji Trophy came in the 2000–01 season, when they made their only semi-final appearance till date.

Since then their performance have rather been disappointing. In the last season, placed in Group D, the side finished seventh on the points table after winning just one and drawing two out of their seven games under Shantanu Mishra.

Apart from Poddar and Mishra, Anurag Sarangi, Sandeep Pattanaik, Biplab Samantaray are the other inclusions in the squad. The selection comittee has also added two wicket-kepeers in squad in the form of Rajesh Dhupar and Aashirwad Swain. Rajesh Mohanty who was the highest-wicket keeper of the side in the last season has also been added to the roaster.

Here's Odisha squad for Ranji Trophy 2024-25:

Govinda Poddar (C), Shantanu Mishra, Anurag Sarangi, Sandeep Pattanaik, Biplab Samantaray, Kartik Biswal, Swastik Samal, Rajesh Dhupar (WK), Aashirwad Swain (WK), Anil Parida, Suryakant Pradhan, Sunil Kumar Roul, Rajesh Mohanty, Debabrata Pradhan, Tarani Sa, Harshit Rathod, and Sumit Sharma.

Furthemore, part of Group A, Odisha will open their campaign in the Round 1 game against Tripura at Maharaja Bir Bikram College Stadium in Agartala, starting October 11. Their first home game in Cuttack is against Jammu and Kashmir, and the game is scheduled to be held at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack. 

Odisha's Schedule for Ranji Trophy 2024-25: