Hello Yellow Army!
Day 1 of Round 1 of the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 is done, and our CSK players were spread all over the country. If you read our preview of the 14 CSK players in the Ranji Trophy, you know who was expected to play where. Now let's see how they actually started.
Quick note before I start: this is only the six players I have an update on so far. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Gurjapneet Singh were with India A, and Shivam Dube and Sanju Samson were on India duty. Mukesh Choudhary and Urvil Patel are still waiting for their turn as their teams were batting, and Ramakrishna Ghosh was not named for Round 1. I will add every update on the Super Kings Player Tracker.
At a glance
| Player | Match | Day 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Anshul Kamboj | Haryana vs Himachal Pradesh | 4/32 in 18 overs |
| Ayush Mhatre | Mumbai vs Chandigarh | 48 (82), 7 fours and 1 six |
| Sarfaraz Khan | Mumbai vs Chandigarh | 1 (6), lbw |
| Kartik Sharma | Rajasthan vs Tamil Nadu | 1 (5), caught |
| Aman Hakim Khan | Puducherry vs Vidarbha | 0/27 in 4 overs |
| Shreyas Gopal | Karnataka vs Andhra | Not in the playing XI |
Anshul Kamboj: the best start of the lot
Kamboj was the star for us on day 1. He continued his good form in domestic and first-class cricket and took 4 wickets in 18 overs, giving only 32 runs. Himachal Pradesh ended the day on 153/7. You can see the update in our tracker entry. I said in the preview that Haryana might not get him for every game because of India A duty, so it is good to see him make the most of the games he plays.
Ayush Mhatre: so close to a fifty
Mhatre started the season months after the IPL hamstring injury, and this time as vice-captain for Mumbai. He looked very good and stable against Chandigarh, but fell 2 runs short of a half century. He departed at 48 off 82 balls with 7 fours and 1 six, when a ball from Dhanda crashed into his stumps. Last season was a tough one for him in the Ranji Trophy, so this is a good start. Here is his tracker entry.
Sarfaraz Khan: not a good start
Not a good start for Sarfaraz, just like the recent Irani Cup. He was out lbw for 1 off 6 balls to Dhanda, the same bowler who got his brother Musheer and Mhatre. Mumbai slipped to 144/4. It is only day 1, and he is a man with a big record, so I am not worried yet. His tracker entry is here.
Kartik Sharma: failed to get going
Playing his first competitive cricket after the IPL, Kartik also failed to get going against Tamil Nadu. He was caught for 1 off 5 balls, even though Rajbar (95), Godara (49) and Lamba (95*) had already set a good base for Rajasthan. That is a missed chance, and it will sting a little. His tracker entry.
Aman Hakim Khan: a quiet day
Aman started the day with the ball against Vidarbha, and went wicketless in his 4 overs, giving 27 runs. We will have to see how he does with the bat in this game. See the tracker entry.
Shreyas Gopal: left out on day 1
Unfortunately, after an outstanding last season with the bat (400+ runs) and the ball, Gopal could not start in Karnataka's playing XI for the opener because of dehydration, as reported by Sportstar. Hopefully it is a one-match thing and he is back soon. More in his tracker entry.
Who didn't play, and who is still waiting
- Shivam Dube and Sanju Samson: on national duty for the 3rd T20I today, so they were not with Mumbai and Kerala.
- Mukesh Choudhary and Urvil Patel: their teams (Maharashtra and Gujarat) were batting, so we are waiting for their turn.
- Ramakrishna Ghosh: was not named in Maharashtra's team for Round 1, so we will have to wait to see him after the foot injury.
- Prashant Veer: did not make Uttar Pradesh's playing XI.
- Rahul Chahar: was not even named in Rajasthan's team for Round 1.
I will add every one of them on the Super Kings Player Tracker as their updates come. Which player are you watching most this season? Let me know in the comments.
Stay healthy stay yellow.