Kolkata: World's highest wicket-taker M Muralitharan is likely to play for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy match against Assam next month as a 14-member squad was announced today.

Selection Committee chairman Sambaran Banerjee and coach Utpal Chatterjee told reporters that there was huge possibility to rope in the Sri Lankan spinner in the first match versus Assam beginning at Malegoan on November 3.

Cricket Association of Bengal's joint secretary Arun Mitra said their president Jagmohan Dalmiya was negotiating with the right arm spinner and thing will be clear by tomorrow.

Dalmiya after returning to CAB had announced his priority to elevate Bengal to Elite group from Plate. Bengal was relegated to Plate group last year after exodus of many senior players to rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL).

All rounder Laxmi Ratan Sukla would lead side at Malegaon and Guwalior against Assam and Madhya Pradesh in the four-day Ranji championship, announced Banerjee saying the side was a conglomeration of young and experienced.

Besides Muralitharan, other players are Sukla, Anustup Majumder, Rohan Banerjee, Sreebath Goswami, Monoj Tiwari, Riddhiman Saha (wicket keeper), Shohom Ghosh, Iresh Saxsena, Sourashis Lahiri, Ranadeb Bose, Shiv Shankar Paul, Ashok Dhinda, Avik Choudhury and Ritam Kundu.

UNI

Tags: muralitharan, bengal, ranji trophy.