# Mohammed Siraj to captain Hyderabad in first two Ranji Trophy matches 2026-09-19T23:11:35+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets India pacer Mohammed Siraj will lead Hyderabad in their first two Ranji Trophy matches of the 2026-27 season, the Hyderabad Cricket Association announced on Saturday. C V Milind has been named vice-captain. The 15-member squad also includes experienced batter Tanmay Agarwal, Rahul Singh, and wicketkeepers Rahul Radesh and Sai Pragnay Reddy. Hyderabad, placed in Group B alongside Karnataka, Punjab, and Saurashtra, will open their campaign against Tripura from October 11 to 14, followed by a match against Andhra from October 18 to 21. New Indian Express notes that Siraj led Hyderabad in their last two Ranji matches last season and recently played in the Duleep Trophy final, where he took one wicket in 41 overs. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both sources offer neutral wire reporting of the squad announcement, but New Indian Express adds Siraj's recent form: one wicket in the Duleep Trophy final and only four wickets in four innings against Sri Lanka. Rediff omits this performance context entirely. The balanced reading is that Siraj's captaincy comes amid a lean spell, how he performs with both leadership and the ball in the opening matches against Tripura and Andhra will be the concrete measure to watch. ## Coverage - rediff.com (neutral report) Straight PTI wire reprint, no commentary on form - newindianexpress.com (neutral report) Announcement plus recent performance context added Tags: C V Milind, Hyderabad Cricket Association, Mohammed Siraj, Ranji Trophy Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/mohammed-siraj-to-captain-hyderabad-in-first-two-ranji-trophy-matches/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/mohammed-siraj-to-captain-hyderabad-in-first-two-ranji-trophy-matches/#story-in-brief