Pujara and Jadeja in Saurashtra Ranji Trophy team

Rajkot, Sept 29: Sudeep Tyagi and Siddharth Trivedi, the medium pacers from Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat respectively, won't be a part of the Saurashtra Ranji Trophy squad for the first two matches this season.

Saurashtra, relegated to group "C" after the poor performance of last season, would play against Tripura. The match is scheduled to start from October 1 at Madhavrao Scindia Cricket ground.

"Jaydev Shah has been named captain of the 15-member squad, while Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja, the two most successful players in recent past from Saurashtra, have been included," Himanshu Shah, Saurashtra Cricket Association's media manager, said.

"Sudeep Tyagi and Siddharth Trivedi had played for Saurashtra last season, but they have not been selected."

Tyagi had played first time for Saurashtra last year, while Siddharth Trivedi had almost about five year-long association with the SCA. However the SCA did not clarify whether the two have been dropped or they have decided to play for other teams.

Dipak Punia and Vandit Jivrajani are the two new faces in the squad. Puniya, a medium pacer, has played eight first class matches for the Services and would play first time for Saurashtra.

"As preparation has been on at SCA stadium Khandhri for the third ODI between India and South Africa, SCA has decided that opening match would be played at Madhavrao Scindia Cricket ground," Shah added.

Team: Jaydev Shah (captain), Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja, Sagar Jogiyani, Sheldon Jackson, Arpit Vasavada, Kamlesh Makawana, Dharmendra Jadeja, Jaydev Unadkat, Chirag Jani, Avi Barot, Vandit Jivrajani, Mohsin Dodiya, Dipak Puniya and Abhishek Bhatt.

PTI