<img title="Rest of India&rsquo;s skipper Cheteshwar Pujara during a training session at the Brabourne Stadium yesterday. Pic/Suresh Karkera" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2017/jan/020-cheteshwar-pujara.jpg" alt="Rest of India&rsquo;s skipper Cheteshwar Pujara during a training session at the Brabourne Stadium yesterday. Pic/Suresh Karkera" /> Rest of India&rsquo;s skipper Cheteshwar Pujara during a training session at the Brabourne Stadium yesterday. Pic/Suresh Karkera
Newly crowned Ranji Trophy champions Gujarat are set to make their maiden appearance in the Irani Cup against a high-quality Rest of India (ROI) side led by Cheteshwar Pujara at the Cricket Club of India's Brabourne Stadium today.
ROI already have seasoned Test players in their ranks such as Pujara, Karun Nair, Abhinav Mukund wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. Mumbai's Akhil Herwadkar, Bengal's Manoj Tiwary and Rajasthan pacer Pankaj Singh also have been consistent performers on the domestic circuit from the past few years. However, Mumbai speedster Shardul Thakur, who complained of ankle pain yesterday, makes way for Hyderabad's Mohammed Siraj.
The five-day match will serve as another platform for fringe players to knock at the doors of selection ahead of the one-off Test against Bangladesh (February 9) and the four-match Test series against Australia (beginning February 23).
"It will be an exciting game. We have so many young players who want to prove themselves. With five Tests coming up, it will be a good opportunity for them to make their mark. Gujarat is a good team and we are looking forward to this game," Pujara said yesterday. Gujarat's Ranji campaign was backed by strong batting. Top scorer Priyank Panchal (1310), Samit Gohel (910), skipper Parthiv Patel (763) and Manprit Juneja (759) will look to shoulder the responsibility of run scoring. "Our goal was to win the Ranji Trophy this season. We achieved it. Now we have to move to the next level and improve as a team and as individuals," Parthiv said.

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