Indore, Jan 29 (IANS): Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been named in the Uttar Pradesh (UP) squad for their final Ranji Trophy league match against Madhya Pradesh (MP) at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.

The match, set to begin on Thursday, marks Kuldeep’s return to competitive cricket after a lengthy injury layoff following hernia surgery.

Kuldeep has been out of action since October 2024, with his last competitive appearance coming in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. His absence from the game has been a significant period of recovery and rehabilitation, with the left-arm wrist spinner working extensively with the National Cricket Academy (NCA) staff to regain match fitness.

On Monday, Kuldeep took to social media to express his gratitude towards the NCA support staff for their role in his recovery, thanking them for their unwavering assistance throughout his rehabilitation process.

While both UP and MP are out of contention for the Ranji Trophy knockout stages, the fixture holds immense personal significance for Kuldeep.

With the highly anticipated three-match ODI series against England starting on February 6, this match will provide him with much-needed game time to test his fitness and match rhythm.

Kuldeep has already been named in India’s squad for the England ODIs, as well as in the provisional 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy, which follows soon after. His performance in the domestic match will be closely watched as selectors and team management assess his readiness for the upcoming international fixtures.

Kuldeep is not the only India international returning to domestic cricket in the final round of the Ranji Trophy league phase. Several other notable names, including Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Riyan Parag, are also set to participate for their respective state teams. Their involvement highlights the importance of domestic cricket as a preparatory ground for international assignments.

Having been a crucial component of India’s spin attack in white-ball cricket, Kuldeep’s return is a significant boost for the national team ahead of a busy international schedule.

Uttar Pradesh squad

Aryan Juyal (capt, wk), Karan Sharma, Abhishek Goswami, Madhav Kaushik, Priyam Garg, Rituraj Sharma, Aaditya Sharma (wk), Shivam Mavi, Saurabh Kumar, Shivam Sharma, Kritagya Kumar Singh, Vijay Kumar, Atal Bihari Rai, Vaibhav Chaudhary, Zeeshan Ansari, Kartikeya Jaiswal, Kartik Tyagi, Kuldeep Yadav