Prithvi Shaw and...? Forgotten stars who can make India comeback via Ranji Trophy 2025-26

Prithvi Shaw in Test cricket for India (Source: AFP)

The 2025-26 edition of the Ranji Trophy is all set to kick off on October 15. It is the most prestigious red-ball tournament in the country, and a good performance in it opens up the door for a place in the Indian Test side.

Thus, with renewed hope, many young and experienced cricketers would be hoping to make all the right noises in the upcoming season with impactful performance. There are many players who have played for India in the past but have lost their way in the recent times for a variety of reasons. Thus, in this article, we will look at three such players who can make India comeback with a strong Ranji performance.

Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Shami is one of the finest pacers to play for India in the last couple of decades. He has done well in ICC tournaments, but his most impactful and consistent performances have come in Test cricket. He has delivered plenty of match-winning performances in whites, and if he is fully fit, he is still one of the best in the country.

The problem, though, has been his fitness, and that has kept him away from Test cricket since the WTC final against Australia in 2023. The cricketer has a long history of injuries, and with age not on his side, the one-year gap after the 2023 World Cup has put major doubt over his future at the international level.

Mohammed Shami in first-class cricket

The cricketer did make his comeback in white-ball cricket and played the Champions Trophy as well as the IPL. However, he did not look at his best, and the chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, has also openly shared his concerns over Shami's fitness. Thus, the upcoming Ranji season is a good opportunity to prove the doubters wrong. If he manages to play games consistently for Bengal and bowl with good rhythm, he can get back into the radar of Test selection again. Also, keeping himself on the upper side of the wickets tally in Ranji Trophy would also help him reassure selectors that he is now back at his best and can deliver in Test cricket again.

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Prithvi Shaw

Prithvi Shaw emerged on the scene as one of the exciting batting talents at the U19 level. As a teenager, he made a rollicking start for Mumbai as well and soon played for India. In the debut Test, he scored a century as well and it looked like he would serve Indian cricket for a long time.

However, soon his form dipped, technical deficiencies started creeping in, and the batter was accused of not taking the game seriously. Things have got worse in the last couple of years as he has also lost the IPL contract and Mumbai excluded him from the Ranji and Vijay Hazare sides.

Prithvi Shaw in first-class cricket

The 25-year-old is now ready for the fresh start with a shift from Mumbai to Maharashtra. He has shown signs of his vintage best with a century in Buchi Babu and against Mumbai in a practice match. He still has an excellent first-class record, and when he gets going, he scores his runs quickly, putting the opposition under immense pressure.

So, even though there are plenty of quality top-order batting options for India, it would be hard for selectors to ignore Prithvi Shaw if he starts scoring consistently again. Thus, Prithvi Shaw would be itching to make this Ranji season count and shut down his critics on his way to India comeback.

Umran Malik

Indian cricket is known for its batters with superstardom and big records. There are world-class bowlers too but a genuine pace bowler who can notch up speeds over 150 KPH regularly is a rare asset in India. Umran Malik is one of those players and so when he first arrived in the scene, there was great excitement around him.

He was fast-tracked into the white-ball setup, and plans were in place to try him at the Test level too. However, Umran Malik failed to match up to the hype, with accuracy proving to be a big problem, especially in white-ball cricket.

In the last year or so, multiple injuries have halted his progress and whenever he has tried to make a comeback, his body has not cooperated. As a result, he has played just 12 first-class matches so far and has not been able to break into the Test side.

Umran Malik in first-class cricket

However, after a long break, the cricketer is now fully fit and is keen to do well in red-ball cricket. He will be playing for Jammu and Kashmir and will be hoping to showcase his wicket-taking abilities by delivering consistently for his team. 

Also, India's fast bowling stocks have depleted in the last few years, with many seniors retiring or suffering from injuries. Thus, the Indian selectors and team management are on the lookout for young pacers, and if Umran Malik manages to do well in the Ranji Trophy, he can play Test cricket for India. He brings an X-factor to the table with his extreme pace, and a good performance in Ranji might tempt the selectors to bring him back quickly into the international setup again.

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