Uttar Pradesh have introduced split captaincy and coaching for the 2026-27 domestic season, with Aryan Juyal and Karan Sharma leading different teams.
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Aryan Juyal (L) and Karan Sharma (R) will lead Uttar Pradesh in different formats(Photo: X)
Uttar Pradesh are taking a new approach for the 2026-27 domestic cricket seasonThe Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) has decided to divide captaincy and coaching responsibilities between red-ball and white-ball cricket.
Aryan Juyal will lead the team in the Ranji Trophy, while Karan Sharma has been named captain for the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali TrophyThe coaching setup will also be split between formats.
The move is aimed at giving more attention to the different demands of red-ball and white-ball cricket as Uttar Pradesh look to improve their results across domestic competitions.
Aryan Juyal to lead Ranji Trophy team
Wicketkeeper-batter Aryan Juyal will take charge of Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji TrophyFormer India spinner and UP veteran Gyanendra Pandey has been given the responsibility of coaching the red-ball side.
The decision comes as UP look to build a team that can focus specifically on the longer formatThe 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season begins on October 11, with Uttar Pradesh set to face Bihar in their opening match at the newly built Rajgir International Stadium.
Karan Sharma gets white-ball responsibility
Karan Sharma will captain Uttar Pradesh in both the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
For the white-ball teams, former India pacer Sudip Tyagi and Arvind Kapoor will be part of the coaching setupThe decision to have different leadership groups is aimed at allowing players and coaches to focus on the specific demands of 50-over and T20 cricket.
The coaching arrangement, however, has already led to some discussion within the UPCAAccording to the report, UPCA vice-president Rakesh Mishra raised concerns over Kapoor’s appointment during the association’s recent AGM and suggested that former Uttar Pradesh players with greater experience of the state setup should be considered for coaching roles.
Yash Dayal returns to Ranji squad
One of the biggest player updates is the return of Yash Dayal to Uttar Pradesh’s Ranji Trophy squad.
The left-arm pacer has been away from competitive cricket for a considerable period and will now be back in the state side for the new Ranji seasonHis return could add experience to the UP bowling attack.
Kartik Tyagi, who was part of India’s T20I team at the Asian Games in Japan, has also been included in the squad.
Abhinandan Singh, Zeeshan Ansari in focus
Abhinandan Singh has received his maiden first-class call-up after making his IPL debut for Royal Challengers Bengaluru during their title-winning campaign.
Leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari is another notable name in the squadAfter a long gap, he is back in the Ranji setup, having last featured in a Ranji Trophy match in 2020Earlier this year he returned to the red-ball arena in Galle against Sri Lanka A and is now back in the selectors’ sights.
With the domestic season beginning soon, Uttar Pradesh’s new split system will be closely watched as the state looks to get the best out of its players across all three formats.
