First, Uttar Pradesh opted for split captaincy and coaching for the upcoming home season

Aryan Juyal (left) will lead Uttar Pradesh in Ranji Trophy and Karan Sharma in Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. (Agencies) NEW DELHI: First, the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) is set to adopt a split captain-coach model for the upcoming domestic season, with a separate set of coaches and captains overseeing the red-ball and white-ball teams.Wicket-keeper Aryan Juyal will lead Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, while Karan Sharma will captain the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy teams. Similarly, former India spinner and Uttar Pradesh veteran Gyanendra Pandey will coach the Ranji Trophy team, while India quick Sudip Tyagi and Arvind Kapoor will be at the helm of the white-ball team.TimesofIndia.com has learned that UPCA men’s cricket selection committee chairman Praveen Kumar suggested the move. It aims to focus more on the different requirements of the two formats and to strengthen Uttar Pradesh’s performances across competitions.Moreover, it is learned that all is not well with the appointment of Arvind Kapoor in the white ball lineup. Kapoor was part of the Uttar Pradesh set-up for almost a decade, but the party didn’t really live up to its potential during that period.At the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last week, UPCA vice-president Rakesh Mishra suggested that cricketers who represented Uttar Pradesh more should be considered for the role of coach. Mishra strongly opposed Kapoor’s appointment, pointing out that Kapoor had served as Uttar Pradesh’s coach several times before.

Yash Dayal returns

Yash Dayal will return to the Ranji Trophy squad in Uttar Pradesh, ending a long spell away from competitive cricket. He is included in the Uttar Pradesh Ranji Trophy team.

Yash Dayal (Image credit: BCCI/IPL)

Apart from Dayal, Kartik Tyagi, who was with the Indian T20I team in Japan for the Asian Games, also made his mark. Abhinandan Singh, who made his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut for champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), also earned a first-class call-up.Leg spinner Zeeshan Ansari has also returned to the scene after years in the wild. Zeeshan Ansari has not played a Ranji Trophy match since 2020. Zeeshan made his comeback with the red ball after six years against Sri Lanka A in Galle earlier this year. The 26-year-old player is currently on the voters’ radar.Ranji Trophy 2026-27 will start on October 11. Uttar Pradesh’s first match of the season will be against Bihar starting on October 11 at the newly constructed Rajgir International Stadium.