Pant, new stars: Subplots galore in Ranji Trophy

Bengaluru: The possibility of Rishabh Pant’s return to action, an array of new stars on the horizon and a clutch of veterans’ battle for relevance will provide much-needed context to the 91st edition of the Ranji Trophy, beginning across the country on Wednesday.

Pant’s possible appearance in the second round is the highlight of Ranji Trophy’s first phase, which otherwise lacks any immediate purpose in the larger scheme of things because of India’s long Test winter after the home series against South Africa next month.

Pant is out of action since a Chris Woakes delivery fractured his toe at Manchester in July, and his rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence is on the right track.

This year too there is the pride of adding the premier red-ball trophy in the country into the cabinets as Mumbai will once again be hoping as the frontrunners to bag

a 43rd title.

Defending champions Vidarbha will not like to give away the silverware easily, and teams like Kerala - last year’s runners up - Saurashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka will will be eager for it.