Rasikh Salam Joins Baroda Ahead of 2025 Domestic Season

Fast bowler Rasikh Salam has made a significant move from Jammu and Kashmir to Baroda ahead of the 2025 domestic cricket season. With the support of Baroda's captain Krunal Pandya, Salam aims to enhance his career after a brief stint with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL. This article explores Salam's journey, his performance stats, and what this transfer means for Baroda as they prepare for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Discover how this change could impact the team's dynamics and their quest for success in the tournament.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 9, 2025, 19:31 IST

Rasikh Salam's Transfer to Baroda

In a surprising development just before the 2025-26 Indian domestic cricket season, fast bowler Rasikh Salam has left Jammu and Kashmir to join Baroda. The 25-year-old received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) to facilitate this transition.

Confirmation from JKCA

Brigadier Anil Gupta, a senior official with the JKCA, confirmed the move, stating that the NOC was issued approximately five or six days ago.

Gupta's Comments

“Yes, we have given him the NOC. I don’t remember exactly when the NOC was issued, but I believe it was done maybe five to six days ago. If he wants to play anywhere else, what difference does it make to us? We have given NOC to six players this time. We have enough talent and enough pool of players with us.”

Rasikh's IPL Experience

Rasikh Salam, who played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2025 season, is expected to join Baroda's squad under the leadership of Krunal Pandya. He participated in two matches for RCB, claiming one wicket. Despite limited playtime, being part of the title-winning team has bolstered his reputation. In his First-Class career, he has taken 13 wickets across five matches, matching that tally in List A cricket.

Krunal Pandya's Role

It appears that Krunal Pandya, who is both Rasikh's teammate at RCB and the captain of Baroda, played a significant role in encouraging the pacer to make this change.

Insights from Sources

“Krunal is keen on assembling a strong team this season and aiming for the trophy. He probably prompted Rasikh to make the switch.”

Other Key Signings for Baroda

Another notable addition to Baroda this year is wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma, who transferred from Vidarbha. He was instrumental in RCB's first IPL title win and is expected to strengthen Baroda's middle order.

Rasikh's Domestic Career

Rasikh Salam made his domestic debut for Jammu and Kashmir during the 2018 Vijay Hazare Trophy. Since then, he has played 23 T20 matches, five First-Class games, and ten List A matches. In the previous season of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2024, he took 11 wickets in seven matches.

Baroda's Upcoming Matches

Baroda, known for its strong performance in T20 cricket, will kick off its Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 campaign on November 26 against Bengal in Hyderabad. Under Krunal Pandya's captaincy, the team reached the finals in 2023 and the semifinals in 2024.

Krunal Pandya's Leadership

Krunal has led Baroda in 27 SMAT matches, achieving victory in 19 of them. The team has been consistently performing well in the format over the past two years. Following their match against Bengal, Baroda will face Puducherry, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, and Haryana in the league stage.

SMAT 2025 Knockout Stage

The knockout phase of SMAT 2025 is set to commence on December 12, with the final scheduled for December 18. The knockout matches will take place in Indore.