Ranji Trophy 2017-18: Pre-season Best XI of the uncapped players

Ranji Trophy 2017-18 promises to be bigger and better than the previous editions of the tournament. A lot of changes have been incorporated in the format of the competition for this home season. The home venues are back, which in essence means that the players will get a chance to perform in front of their home fans. Also, the groups have been made bigger and the total number of pools have been reduced.

All of this is expected to result in an optimum number of fixtures for each team and at the same time, will give proper recovery period for the players between two successive matches. Well, the stage is set and the arrangements have been made. Now, it is time for the domestic talent to perform on the biggest stage in Indian domestic circuit. Ranji Trophy is rated as the breeding ground for cricketers in the country and expect this edition to be no different.

While the big names, the players who have already played for India in some or the other format of the game, are expected to come out great guns, the eyes will be on the rookie uncapped players to grab the limelight. Every season, a new star emerges from the competition. So who will it be this season?

Here we pick the pre-season Best Uncapped XI of Ranji Trophy 2017-18:

1. Rahul Tripathi (Maharashtra)

Young hard-hitting batsman from Pune, Rahul Tripathi, became a household name among the Indian cricket fans after a very successful IPL stint earlier this year with Rising Pune Supergiant. The opening batsman has been playing in the Indian domestic circuit for quite some time now. However, a big season is yet to come his way.

With the limelight already hogging on him, expect the 26-year old to finally make a Ranji Trophy season his own with his batting. Tripathi made his First Class debut for Maharashtra back in the year 2012. Since then, he has played 26 matches to amass 1245 runs at a mediocre average of 31.92. But, given the form that he has been in, expect Tripathi to call the shots this season.