Nikin Jose returns in Karnataka Ranji squad as injured Smaran misses out

Bengaluru, Jan 16 (PTI) Top-order batter Nikin Jose returned to the Karnataka squad in place of injured Ravichandran Smaran for their Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh to be held at Alur from January 22.

Smaran suffered a shoulder niggle ahead of Karnataka's Vijay Hazare Trophy semifinal match against Vidarbha on Thursday, and will need some time to recuperate.

It's a blow for Karnataka as the young batter has been in fine fettle so far this season, scoring 595 runs from five matches at an average of 119 with two hundreds and two fifties.

Pacer Vysakh Vijayakumar too missed out on selection after going out mid-way through the Vijay Hazare Trophy semifinal at the BCCI CoE grounds owing to concussion.

Pacer M Venkatesh replaced Vysakh in the side, which will be led by seasoned Mayank Agarwal.

India batter Devdutt Padikkal will lend strength to the top-order.

Karnataka are currently leading Group B with 21 points from five matches followed by Maharashtra (18) and Madhya Pradesh (16).

Meanwhile, Samit Dravid, son of legendary Rahul Dravid, found a place in Karnataka's Col CK Nayudu Trophy match against Uttarakhand to be played at Alur (3) from January 23.

Karnataka Ranji Trophy team: Mayank Agarwal (captain), Nikin Jose, Devdutt Padikkal, Karun Nair, KL Shrijith, Abhinav Manohar, Shreyas Gopal, Vidyadhar Patil, Vidwath Kaverappa, Abhilash Shetty, Mohsin Khan, Shikhar Shetty, Kruthik Krishna, KV Aneesh, M Venkatesh. PTI UNG SSC SSC