Ranji Trophy 2017/18: 5 cricketers who switched their states this season

Two more days for the before the greatest cricketing tournament, the Ranji Trophy gets underway and the excitement around is certainly palpable. This is the stage which introduced few of the biggest stars in world cricket and a lot of youngsters out there are eagerly waiting for the tournament to commence and get their name right on top in the selectors’ good books.

But, to gain limelight, one has to get enough opportunities to play and sometimes, the team’s composition or balance doesn’t leave a place for few. Sitting on the sidelines despite knowing that you’re talented enough to make it to the XI is often infuriating, but sometimes that’s a self-sacrifice that one has to do for team’s cause.

Not all of them are inclined to being so generous and few of them tend to switch state sides to avail better opportunities. This is something which no one can wrong, but over the years, the BCCI and state boards have been too loose when it comes to giving the No Objection Certificate (NoC). As it happens every year, a lot of famous cricketers, who even played International cricket, have switched sides and here is the list of five high profile cricketers who will be playing for a different side this time around.

1. Robin Uthappa (Karnataka to Saurashtra)

One of the stalwarts of Karanataka and Kolkata Knight Riders, Robin Uthappa switching sides came in as a shocker for many. He represented 15 years for his boyhood side Karnataka right from his teenage days and now, he’ll be playing with Cheteshwar Pujara in the Saurashtra side. This quite an interesting move as no matter how many star players were there in Karnataka, he was always the first-choice. Nevertheless, he decided to move on and the fans are eager to see him score tons of runs.

2. Ambati Rayudu (Vidarbha to Hyderabad)

After a long period of time, Ambati Rayudu will be representing his native side Hyderabad after a long stint with Baroda. Though he moved to Vidarbha, he didn’t play a single game for them due to an injury. In 2010, Rayudu left Hyderabad after they were relegated to plate division and since then, he has grown in stature as a cricketer. His exploits with Mumbai Indians and the national side have been spectacular, but he’s been quite unfortunate to not get enough opportunities.

3. Piyush Chawla (Uttar Pradesh to Gujarat)

Piyush Chawla was once a world-class leg-spinner and a regular in the Indian side. For various reasons, his quality has dipped and he’s a long distance away from being considered for the national team. He opted to switch from Uttar Pradesh to Gujarat this season. Gujarat lifted the Ranji Trophy for the first time in their history and their side will be boosted with the addition of such an experienced campaigner.

4. Pragyan Ojha (Bengal to Hyderabad)

Though Pragyan Ojha‘s name has been included in the initial squad for the season, he has completed his move from Bengal to Hyderabad. Ojha made his mark and made his way into the Indian side courtesy some wonderful renditons at Hyderabad. He moved on to Bengal later on as they didn’t have an experienced spinner. Now, he’s back with the in form Hyderabad side and is hopeful to perform well. Ojha picked up over 100 Test wickets for the national side and is an inavuable asset for any team.

5. Karn Sharma (Railways to Vidarbha)

Karn Sharma is one of the best leg-spinners in the country, who played cricket across all formats for the national side. Nevertheless, he couldn’t last long due to his inconsistency and he’s been away from the limelight these days. Karn Sharma is moving to Vidarbha after representing Railways for a fairly long period. This indeed is a huge boost for the Vidarbha side who lost Ambati Rayadu this season. His performances in the recently concluded Duleep Trophy have been terrific as well.