Ranji Trophy 2017-18: Playing XI of the season

Pacers

Ashok Dinda, Bengal – 35 wickets at 20.20 in 8 matches

Ashok Dinda took 7/21 against Chattisgarh this season

One of the old warhorses of Bengal cricket, 33-year-old Ashok Dinda maintained consistency throughout a season in which he also played his hundredth first-class game for them. In just the second match this year, Dinda ran through the Chhattisgarh batting line-up, claiming excellent figures of 7/21 and 3/26 in the game, thus giving Bengal an innings win and receiving the Player of the Match award.

Two more five-fors came against Himachal Pradesh and Goa, and though both matches were drawn, Bengal gained useful first innings lead both times to pave the way for their qualification for the quarter-final, in which Dinda took 3/48 against defending champions Gujarat.

Rajneesh Gurbani, Vidarbha – 39 wickets at 17.13 in 6 matches

An unknown name to have made it big in just his second Ranji season, medium pacer Rajneesh Gurbani had a fairytale of a journey in which he took 39 wickets. Most importantly, he always performed when it mattered the most: 6/113 against Himachal Pradesh in the final group game, 5/38 against Kerala in the quarter-final, 5/94 and a career-best 7/68 against Karnataka in a tense semi-final win and most crucially, 6/59 against Delhi in the final, a haul which included a hat-trick.

Though he lacks the adequate pace to threaten a batsman, his swing and accuracy proved enough to unsettle the opposition multiple times.

Navdeep Saini, Delhi – 34 wickets at 22.73 in 8 matches

There cannot be a more heartening sight for India than to see a young pacer bowling accurately and with good pace on the slow, spin-friendly home pitches. Navdeep Saini, 25, has captured his opportunity at Delhi in perfect style by bagging 29 wickets this Ranji season, behind only left-arm spinner Vikas Mishra from his team.

Saini and his pace compatriot Kulwant Khejroliya, another rising young pacer, have led the Delhi attack, playing a huge role in their journey to the final.

Saini took seven wickets against Uttar Pradesh, a game which Delhi won by four wickets; his 4/57 against Maharashtra went a long way in giving Delhi an innings win; and when it mattered the most, Saini took seven in the match again while playing Bengal in the semi-final. In fact, he was also supposed to fly to South Africa as a net bowler with the Indian team, but with Delhi qualifying for the final, he was pulled out.