Out-of-favour India opener Mayank Agarwal was on Tuesday named as Karnataka's captain for their first two rounds of Ranji Trophy matches against Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, while pacer Prasidh Krishna will continue to chart his comeback to top-flight cricket through the domestic season. Karnataka will face MP at Indore from October 11, while the former champions will take on Kerala at Bengaluru from October 18. After a lukewarm Duleep Trophy, Agarwal will be eager to be among some big runs to impress the selectors, and Prasidh too need better numbers in the wicket column.
The 28-year-old took just four wickets across two matches in the Duleep Trophy while appearing for India A, and he so far has failed to pick up a wicket for Rest of India in Mumbai's first innings in the ongoing Irani Cup at Lucknow.
Devdutt Padikkal too will be hoping to be among runs after a fairly impressive Duleep Trophy and pacer Vysakh Vijayakumar, who has a BCCI pace bowlers' contract, will be eager to make his presence felt with another good outing.
However, pacer Vidwath Kaverappa, who is nursing an injury, did not find a place in the 16-member squad.
There will be some focus on all-rounder Shreyas Gopal too as he has returned to the state after playing for Kerala last season.
Karnataka squad: Mayank Agarwal (captain), Nikin Jose, Devdutt Padikkal, R Smaran, Manish Pandey, Shreyas Gopal, Sujay Sateri, Hardik Raj, Vyshak Vijayakumar, Prasidh Krishna, Vasuki Koushik, Luvnith Sisodia, Mohsin Khan, Vidyadhar Patil, Kishan Bedare, Abhilash Shetty.