The Assam Ranji players during a practice session at Nehru Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, Nov. 16: Teenaged paceman Krishna Das overcame a lower back injury to be recalled to the state Ranji team for the match against Madhya Pradesh to be played in Indore from November 20 to 23.

Das, who had to opt out of the campaign opener against Tripura in Agartala because of his injury, has been named in the 14-member squad in place of seasoned paceman R.K. Yadav.

Das was rested for the last match after doctors advised him a week’s rest to overcome the backache caused by “an overload of bowling and physical training.”

Though his absence in the team was felt in Agartala, Assam overcame the challenge of the home side on the penultimate day of the match by five wickets with the batsmen playing a positive game in the second innings.

Besides, teenaged top order batsman Amit Sinha has been rested for the match in order to retain in-form Tazinder Singh in the squad. The squad comprised 15 members in their match against Tripura but has now been reduced to 14 members in conformity with the tournament rules.

The team will leave for Indore tomorrow.

The squad comprises: Rashmi Ranjan Parida (capt), Kunal Saikia (wk), Jacob Martin, Anand Katti, Deepak Sharma, Dhiraj Goswami, Ranjeet Mali, Swarupam Purkayastha, Shiv Shankar Roy, Nishanta Bordoloi, Arlen Konwar, Razinder Singh, Mrigen Talukdar and Krishna Das.

The Assam Cricket Association has also named the state under-16 team for the Vijay Merchant Trophy matches against Tripura and Jharkhand. Assam will play their first match against Tripura at Hailakandi from November 20 to 22. In the second match, from November 25 to 27 at Nagaon, they will meet Jharkhand.

The 15-member squad that left from here today will be led by Manoj Malo. Sanjow Brahma will be his deputy.

The squad:

Manash Jyoti Gogoi, Rahul Hazarika, Chandandeep Singh, Jnan Boro, Prasanta Bhuyan, Wasiqur Rahman, Amlan Baruah, Jageswar Bhumij, Bhaskar Bora, Ali Akbar, Prem Pradhan, Kongan P. Das and Deep Jyoti Goswami.