Srinagar, Sep 30: Jammu and Kashmir are set to face a formidable Rest of India outfit in the Irani Cup, with the five-day contest beginning Thursday at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar.
The Ranji Trophy champions will enter the game with captain Paras Dogra leading the side, while Rest of India will be captained by India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant.
J&K, however, will miss the services of pacer Auqib Nabi, who is currently with the Indian team.
Speaking ahead of the match, Pant said his approach remained centred on performing well and making the most of every opportunity that comes his way.
“For me, it’s very simple. Whatever is in front of me, I will give my best. That is how I play. I keep it very simple. Whatever opportunity I get, I try to get better,” Pant said during the pre-match press conference, as per Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
The Irani Cup is also expected to offer Pant valuable exposure to red-ball cricket as he looks to build match fitness and rhythm.
“Playing cricket is always good. The more you play, the better you can get for sure,” he said.
While acknowledging J&K’s strong performance during their Ranji Trophy campaign, Pant said Rest of India would concentrate on executing its own plans rather than dwelling on the opposition’s previous achievements.
“The way J&K have played most of the season has been exceptional. They have done really well. But at the same time, we want to focus on ourselves,” Pant said.
Dogra, meanwhile, said J&K had moved on from their Ranji Trophy success and were treating the Irani Cup as a fresh challenge.
According to the J&K skipper, the team had retained the positive lessons from their championship-winning campaign but was now focused entirely on the upcoming assignment.
“We won the championship and it was a very good atmosphere. We have forgotten that now. We have taken the good things and made memories, but now we have to think about the future,” Dogra said.
“The next name is Irani. What has happened is in the memories now.”
Despite the absence of some important players, Dogra expressed confidence in the team’s preparation and said the squad was determined to put up a strong performance.
“Everyone is in good shape. Everyone is hungry and everyone wants to do well. There will obviously be a lack, but we have replacements. We want to play good cricket,” he said.
With both sides looking to start the contest strongly, the Irani Cup promises a significant red-ball test for the newly crowned Ranji Trophy champions against a quality Rest of India side.