Panakala Mokshit leads Odisha's Vinoo Mankad Trophy squad
Odisha Cricket Association officials named a 16-member state junior squad on Wednesday for the upcoming Vinoo Mankad Trophy. Panakala Mokshit will lead the side as captain and wicketkeeper during the BCCI domestic season 2026–27 campaign. Junior Men's Selection Committee Chairperson Sourajit Mohapatra and Head Coach Rakesh Mohanty revealed the team selection during a formal press meeting in Cuttack, with state cricket secretary Sanjay Behera approving the roster.
Balanced mix of batting and seam options
Selection officials focused on building a deep top order supported by flexible bowling resources. Opening duties rest on Subham Pallai, Prayan Prantik Samal, Mayank Pattanayak, and Subhasis Mallick. Aditya Anand strengthens the middle order, while Jogeswar Bag and Rudra Prasad Mallick provide steady all-round support. Vedant V Devade joins Mokshit behind the stumps as the second wicketkeeper in the traveling unit.
Fast bowling duties will be handled by a five-man pace battery. Kamalesh Patra, Seikh Hayat, Abhineet Pattnaik, and Sairaj Sahoo bring right-arm medium pace into the attack. Left-armer Tirthankar Sahoo adds angle variety to the seam department. Slow bowling responsibilities belong to left-arm spinners Raaz Yadav and Sk Naqib Sarber, who can exploit wearing surfaces in multi-day conditions.
Challenging fixtures scheduled in Pondicherry
Odisha enters the national competition placed in Elite Group B, where every match will take place across grounds in Pondicherry. The team begins its campaign against Punjab on October 8, followed by a contest against Uttar Pradesh on October 10. Subsequent matches pit the squad against Haryana on October 12 and Bihar on October 14. Odisha concludes the group stage on October 16 with a game against Chhattisgarh.
Grassroots development programs across coastal and western districts have expanded local talent pipelines in recent years, making this national youth platform a stepping stone toward senior state representation.
