Guwahati, July 17: The selection trials for the state senior cricket team for the summer exposure tour to Hyderabad and Chennai next month got under way at Nehru Stadium here today.

Altogether 31 probables, among the 36 named by the Assam Cricket Association (ACA), turned up for the trials on the first day today. Wicketkeeper-batsman Mriganka Jyoti Sarma of Guwahati has opted out of the trials citing preoccupation with official duty for his employers.

With Sarma opting out, Rajdeep Das and Kunal Saikia are the only two options for the selectors as wicket-keepers.

The camp authorities said the remaining quartet, who did not turn up today, will join the camp in a couple of days.

The exposure tour assumes significance in view of the fact that it is considered the first steps towards making it to the state Ranji trials.

The first two days of the trials will deal with the fine-tuning of fielding skills and fitness drills. Newly appointed senior team coach Gursharan Singh will take charge of the trials from Saturday.

“We will go for the skills training after the coach assumes charge of the camp,” said Assam Cricket Academy chief coach Rajesh Borah.

Altogether five new faces have been named among the 36 probables. The new faces include Yead Islam of Nagaon, Vikrant Sehwag of Silchar, Chanakya Sarmah of Guwahati, Arup Das of Barpeta and Ritupan Phatowali of Dibrugarh. The ACA has named the probables from among those who participated in the summer fitness camp here from June 17 to July 12.

The probables have been picked up on the basis of their fitness level and some of those who have represented the state last year, including wicketkeeper-batsman Amjad Ali, Bikram Chetri and few others, have not been considered because of injuries. Promising players Swarupam Purkayastha and Shiv Shankar Roy will be missing the tour as they have been invited for a National Cricket Academy camp in Bangalore from July 30 to September 30.

The exposure tour will include participation in the Moin-Ud Dowla tournament in Hyderabad and Buchi Babu tournament in Chennai.

The team is likely to be named on July 27 or 28 and the squad will leave for Hyderabad on July 30.

In the Moin-Ud Dowla Gold Cup tournament, Assam will play Himachal Pradesh in the first match on August 3 and 4 and then meet Bengal on August 6 and 7 in their group league matches.