Umar Nazir Mir, known as 'Pulwama Express', dismissed Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan in the Iranian Cup

The coaching staff for the 'Rest of India' team for the Iran Cup has been determined. Lakshmi Ratan Shukla, the current head coach of Bengal and a former Indian cricketer, has been appointed as the batting coach for this team.

The 'Rest of India' team, under the guidance of Rishabh Pant, will play the Iran Cup match against Jammu and Kashmir from October 1 to 5 in Srinagar.

Lakshmi Ratan Shukla, who is 46 years old, led the Bengal team in recent seasons. In last season's Ranji Trophy tournament, the Bengal team lost to Jammu and Kashmir in the semi-finals. Now, Shukla will work with the batsmen of 'Rest of India' in the Iran Cup against the same team, Jammu and Kashmir.

Shukla has experience playing for India in three one-day matches in 1999. He was also part of the KKR team that won the IPL title, playing there in 2012, and in his last season, he played for Delhi Capitals in 2014.

The appointment as batting coach for the 'Rest of India' team is his first assignment from the BCCI. Debashish Mohanty will take the post of bowling coach, and Milap Mewara will take the post of fielding coach in the 'Rest of India' coaching staff.

The full squad for the 'Rest of India' team includes: Rishabh Pant (captain, wicket-keeper), Sanat Sangwan, Shikhar Mohan, Sudip Garami, Sarfaraz Khan (vice-captain), AR Samran, Manav Sutar, Saransh Jain, Akash Dip*, Mukesh Kumar, Mukesh Choudhary, Aryan Juyal (white-keeper), Aryan Pandey, Anukul Roy, and Ayush Dosija. However, Akash Dip's selection will depend on his physical condition.

In the third T20 International match between India (IND) and Afghanistan (AFG) in Delhi, at Arun Jaitley Stadium, India secured a convincing victory with a score of 127 runs. This win allowed India to sweep the three-match series 3-0. The main hero of this match was Abhishek Sharma, who achieved a historic feat by reaching a century in just 30 balls.

India started the game by scoring 221 runs in 20 overs. Abhishek Sharma demonstrated incredible batting, scoring 108 runs off just 34 balls. His performance was supported by Sanju Samson, who also scored 50 runs, helping the team build a strong foundation. Following this, Indian bowlers restricted Afghanistan to only 94 runs in 14.1 overs.

This triumph marked Abhishek's third century in T20 Internationals. It was the fastest century among Indian players in T20 Internationals, as well as the fastest century among full member players in T20 Internationals. Overall, it is his third fastest century in the history of T20 International cricket.

During the celebration of the victory, Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran joined the Indian team and captain Shreyas Iyer. In the match, Afghanistan managed to score only 94 runs, with Ibrahim Zadran scoring the most points—25. Indian bowlers, such as Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi, showed outstanding play, each taking three wickets, while Axar Patel also added two wickets.

The victory by 127 runs concluded the series, which India won 3-0. Earlier, India had won the first two matches of the series, achieving a major victory in the third match.

After the game, Abhishek's father, Rajkumar Sharma, told PTI in an interview that his son possesses a huge passion for training, which prevents him from paying attention to anything else. He noted that he invited his son home, but he did not come because his achievements are the result of diligent training and hard work.

Rajkumar expressed hope that Abhishek will continue to play in the same spirit and maintain this energy to keep winning matches. He also mentioned that his son meditates a lot, waking up at 4 am, which helps him maintain high concentration. Regarding the viral celebration, he said that if he did it on premises that are a temple or gurdwara, then it is very good, and he wishes that God continues to bless him and help him deliver similar performances in the future.

Rishabh Pant was unable to make the Indian squad for the ODI series against West Indies, so his focus is now on the Iranian Cup. He has been entrusted to captain the Rest of India team. The first match, scheduled for October 1st in Srinagar, will be played between Rest of India and the Ranji Trophy champion from Jammu and Kashmir for the 2025-26 season.

Pant will not only lead the team but also serve as the wicketkeeper. This means that after a long break, he will take on a leadership role in a first-class match.

Sarfaraz Khan has been named the vice-captain of the Rest of India team. Additionally, fast bowler Akash Dip has been included in the 15-man squad, although his participation is contingent on his health. Akash Dip last participated in a competition in February, representing Bengal in the Ranji Trophy semi-finals. Following this, he struggled with a lower back injury, which prevented him from playing the entire IPL 2026 season and also caused his absence from matches for India.

The Iranian Cup could offer an opportunity for his return to competitive cricket, but he must first undergo a medical examination.

Selectors have also included players who demonstrated outstanding performances in last season's Ranji tournament. Four batsmen who scored the most runs in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy have been selected for the Rest of India. Aash Rasmaran scored 950 runs, Ayush Dosija scored 949, Sannat Sangwan scored 828, and Sudip Kumar Garami scored 797.

These four have secured spots in the 15-man squad. Batsman Shikhar Mohan from Jharkhand is also part of the team; he scored the most runs for Jharkhand in the previous Ranji season. Furthermore, he played innings of 85 and 52 runs in the recently concluded Duleep Trophy final.

Mukesh Kumar and Mukesh Choudhary will handle the batting line for Rest of India. Manav Sutar and Saransh Jain will be the primary options in the spin department. Anukul Roy has also joined the team, having made significant contributions to both batting and bowling in East Zone's victory in the Duleep Trophy.

Manav Sutar's recent performance has been impressive: he took 23 wickets in his first three Test matches, including one match with 10 wickets. He also scored 79 runs across four innings in batting. Saransh Jain debuted in international cricket in the second match against Sri Lanka in Colombo, where he took three wickets. His domestic cricket statistics are also strong: Jain took only 51 wickets over two Ranji seasons. He was also recently part of the Central Zone team in the Duleep Trophy.

Who will be the backup wicketkeeper alongside Pant?

Aryan Jual has been included in the squad as a backup wicketkeeper for Pant. This match is particularly important for Pant, as after missing the ODI series against West Indies, he will attempt to regain his form with red balls. Captaining the Rest of India team is also an added responsibility for him. The team includes several players who performed well in recent domestic tournaments.

The Iranian Cup is traditionally viewed as an important fixture before the start of the new Ranji season. After this match, the new Ranji Trophy season will commence on October 11th.

Rest of India squad: Rishabh Pant (Captain, Wicketkeeper), Sannat Sangwan, Shikhar Mohan, Sudip Garami, Sarfaraz Khan (Vice-Captain), Aash Rasmaran, Manav Sutar, Saransh Jain, Akash Dip*, Mukesh Kumar, Mukesh Choudhary, Aryan Jual (Wicketkeeper), Aryan Pandey, Anukul Roy, Ayush Dosija. *Akash Dip's selection will be based on his health condition.