Gowtham excluded from Karnataka Ranji squad

Bengaluru: In a clear sign of complete overhaul of their bowling attack, Karnataka senior selectors have dropped seasoned off-spinner K Gowtham from the Ranji Trophy squad for the upcoming season, beginning January 5 next year.

While the pace unit saw a full transition last year itself, the exclusion of Gowtham along with the migration of leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal last year, heralds a complete switch in spin bowling department as well.      

Two fresh spinners have been inducted into the side along with left-armer Shubhang Hegde. Off-spinner Shashikumar K and left-arm spinner Rohit Kumar AC will form the spin attack while top-order batter Nischal D makes a return to the team after a gap of four years. His century against a Mumbai side during a practice game recently was the clincher for the right-hander who has scored 952 runs in 16 first-class matches at an average of 34 with four hundreds and three half-centuries.

"We thank Bhajji (Gowtham) for his wonderful services to Karnataka cricket, but no one is indispensable," said State senior selection panel chief J Abhiram. "We want to set the transition in motion as there are many quality young bowlers and batters waiting in the wings. We don't want to keep them waiting for far too long. They are talented and ready to play at this level," he offered.  

In 59 first-class matches for the State, Gowtham picked up 224 scalps at an average of 27.24 and a strike rate 57.1 with 14 five-wicket and two 10-wicket hauls. Though the 35-year-old was part of Karnataka white-ball team, his red-ball career seems all but over for the State.    

Opener Nikin Jose has been named deputy to skipper Mayank Agarwal while the other two seniors in the side are R Samarth and Manish Pandey. 

Other new faces in the squad are wicketkeeper Sujay Sateri and top-order batter Kishan S Bedare. 

The squad for the first two matches against Punjab and Gujarat: Mayank Agarwal (Captain), Samarth R, Devdutt Padikkal, Nikin Jose SJ (Vice-Captain), Manish Pandey, Shubhang Hegde, Sharath Srinivas (WK), Vyshak V, Koushik V, Vidwath Kaverappa, Shashikumar K, Sujay Sateri (WK), Nischal D, Venkatesh M, Kishan S Bedare, Rohit Kumar AC.

Coach: PV Shashikanth; Bowling coach: Mansur Ali Khan; Fielding coach: Shabarish P Mohan; Manager: A Ramesh Rao; Physiotherapist: Jaba Prabhu A; Strength & Conditioning coach: Kiran A; Masseur: Somasundar CM; Video analyst: Giridhar.