Ishan Kishan Left Out as Jharkhand Name Anukul Roy Captain for SMAT 2026-27
Jharkhand announce their SMAT 2026-27 squad, with Anukul Roy as captain as Ishan Kishan and Kumar Kushagra miss out.
Defending champions Jharkhand have announced their 15-member squad for the 2026-27 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), with Anukul Roy taking over as captain in the absence of Ishan Kishan and Kumar Kushagra.
Ishan Kishan, who led Jharkhand to their maiden SMAT title last season, will miss the tournament as he is currently on national duty with the Indian team for their multi-format tour of New Zealand.
Batter Kumar Kushagra has also been left out of the squad. With two key players unavailable, Jharkhand will have a new-look leadership group as they prepare to defend their title.
All-rounder Anukul Roy has been appointed captain, while Shikhar Mohan will serve as his deputy. The squad also includes wicketkeeper-batter Robin Minz, who will be expected to play an important role in the team’s campaign.
Jharkhand will begin their SMAT 2026-27 campaign against Mizoram on November 14 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The defending champions have been placed in Group A alongside Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram, Karnataka, Baroda and Chandigarh.
Jharkhand Squad for SMAT 2026-27
Anukul Roy (C), Virat Singh, Shikhar Mohan (VC), Utkarsh Singh, Robin Minz, Rajandeep Singh, Pankaj Kumar, Md. Kounain Quraishi, Shubh Sharma, Amit Kumar, Pratik Ranjan, Pratyush Kumar, Sushant Mishra, Harsh Raj and Saurabh Shekhar.
Jharkhand won their first-ever Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title in the 2025-26 season under Ishan Kishan’s leadership. They will now look to become back-to-back champions despite missing some of their biggest names.
The 2026-27 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy will be played from November 14 to December 6, 2026. It will be a big opportunity for the new captain and emerging players to make their mark in India’s domestic T20 competition.
