On Friday, October 9, 2026, the Goa Cricket Association revealed their 16-man roster for the 2026–2027 Ranji Trophy, with Abhinav Tejrana named captain. Arjun Tendulkar, who has been a member of the Goa setup since the 2022–2023 season, was left out of the selection, which is the most noteworthy development.
The 27-year-old Arjun Tendulkar is the son of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. He had just finished taking 50 wickets for Goa in first-class cricket, but his exclusion from this team comes after he missed Goa’s tour of Oman. He played for Goa in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and made his final appearance for the state team in the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy match against Kerala at Porvorim.
On October 11, 2026, Goa will play Baroda in Elite Group A to begin their 2026–27 Ranji Trophy campaign in Panaji. The tournament’s 92nd edition will take place between October 11, 2026, and March 3, 2027.
Along with the playing team, Goa’s support staff has been confirmed for the forthcoming campaign. Before their first game against Baroda, the team’s management, which consists of seasoned individuals in coaching and administrative positions, provides a structured setup. The team will be led by head coach Dinesh Mongia, with manager Anil Joglekar, Senior Men’s Director of Coaching and Cricket Operations Prakash Mayenkar, and bowling coach Krishna Rao, according to an Instagram post cited.
The entire Managing Committee, secretary Tulshidas Shetye, and president Mahesh Desai of the Goa Cricket Association wished the team luck in the forthcoming Ranji Trophy competition. As the team gets ready to represent Goa on the domestic cricket stage, they expressed their support and wished them success,” it continued.
What makes Arjun Tendulkar’s absence important for Goa cricket?
Since joining the state team prior to the 2022–2023 Ranji Trophy season, Arjun Tendulkar has been a consistent player in Goa’s domestic cricket setup. His contribution to the team’s bowling attack during those seasons was highlighted by his recent milestone of 50 first-class wickets for Goa.
Also Read: Steve Smith Breaks Past Steve Waugh’s Record in Australia’s Test Cricket History
Given that milestone, his exclusion from the 2026–2027 squad is noteworthy. He also missed Goa’s tour of Oman. No injury has been verified as the reason for his exclusion, and the selectors have not provided a public explanation.
Goa full squad for 2026-27 Ranji Trophy
Abhinav Tejrana (Captain), Suyash Prabhudesai, Manthan Khutkar, Lalit Yadav, Snehal Kauthankar, Shivendra Bhujbal, Koushik V, Shubham Tari, Ruthvik Naik, Darshan Misal, Yash Kasvankar, Amulya Pandrekar, Deepraj Gaonkar, Rajshekhar Harikant, Mohit Redkar, Felix Alemao.
