Odisha junior cricketers depart for the upcoming national board matches

Eighteen young cricketers from the state have traveled to Bengaluru to participate in the upcoming Vijay Merchant Trophy. Representing the Odisha Under-16 Men Team, this group will compete in the BCCI Domestic Season 2026-27 under the leadership of captain Midhansu Das. Priyanshu Priyadarshi Amal serves as the vice-captain for the squad, aiming to secure victories in their scheduled fixtures. This junior national tournament provides a crucial platform for emerging regional talents to showcase their skills at an early competitive stage of their sporting careers.

Support staff and preparations

Guiding the players through their Elite-C group matches is a dedicated coaching and management group. Shantanu Ghosh travels as the head coach, alongside batting coach Rashmi Ranjan Das and assistant coach Suryakant Pradhan. Other crucial traveling members include admin manager Prasant Jena, manager Suryakanta Jena, physiotherapist Dinesh Sahoo, strength and conditioning coach Sourya Ranjan Ray, and video analyst Kiran Kumar Bhoi. State cricket officials, including secretary Sanjay Behera, formally extended their best wishes to the traveling squad before their departure.

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Match schedule overview

Starting later this week, the team will play all their scheduled group stage fixtures in Shivamogga. Their campaign begins against Hyderabad from November 14 to November 16. Following a short break, they face Haryana between November 19 and November 21. The third encounter takes place against Uttar Pradesh from November 25 to November 27. Moving into late November, the squad will challenge Chandigarh from November 30 to December 2. Finally, they conclude their opening stage matches against Gujarat between December 6 and December 8.