Odisha Cricket Association Squad, Fixture for Ranji Trophy 2024-25

The Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) has officially announced its squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season, with veteran all-rounder Govinda Poddar appointed as the team captain. This announcement comes as Odisha seeks to improve its performance in domestic cricket, a realm where it has historically struggled.

Odisha's Cricketing Background

Odisha's cricketing history has not been particularly strong in domestic competitions. The team's most notable achievement was reaching the semi-finals in the 2000-01 Ranji Trophy season. Since that landmark performance, the state has faced challenges, finishing seventh in Group D last season with only one win and two draws from seven matches under the coaching of Shantanu Mishra

Squad Composition

The squad for this season includes several key players alongside Poddar and Mishra, reflecting a blend of experience and youth. Notable inclusions are:

• 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
• Sumit Sharma

The selection committee has opted for two wicketkeepers, Rajesh Dhupar and Aashirwad Swain, while Rajesh Mohanty, who was the highest wicket-taker for Odisha in the previous season, has also been retained in the squad

The fixtures for Odisha in the Ranji Trophy will be crucial as they aim to improve on last season’s performance. The team is scheduled to kick off its campaign with the following matches:

1. Odisha vs. Jharkhand
   October 11-14, 2024
   Venue: Odisha

2. Odisha vs. Saurashtra
   October 18-21, 2024
   Venue: Saurashtra

These matches will be a vital test for the squad as they look to reclaim their competitive edge in Indian domestic cricket