Times News NetworkKanpur: Defending champions Kashi Rudras will begin their preparations for the fourth edition of the Uttar Pradesh T20 League with an 11-day training camp at the JK Loco Cricket Stadium from August 1 to August 11.Owned by the JK Group, Kashi Rudras are among the most successful franchises in the league, having won the inaugural title in Kanpur and reclaiming the championship in the third edition held at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow last year. The upcoming season will be jointly hosted by Lucknow and Kanpur, with the tournament beginning in the state capital before concluding in Kanpur.According to team sources, players selected through the recent mini auction, along with retained members of the squad, will attend the pre-season camp. The sessions will be conducted under the supervision of chief coach Dhruv Singh, with Obaid Kamal serving as batting and bowling coach and Javed Anwar overseeing fielding drills.The camp is expected to focus on fitness, match simulation, skill development and team combinations as the franchise aims to retain its title.As part of its preparations, Kashi Rudras had earlier organised two-day selection trials at the JK Loco Stadium on July 7 and July 8. Cricketers from Varanasi, Prayagraj, Jhansi and Fatehpur participated in the trials, allowing the coaching staff to assess the batting, bowling, wicketkeeping and fielding abilities of newly inducted players.The franchise is banking on an improved batting performance from Abhishek Goswami, Karan Sharma, Vaibhav Chaudhary, Upendra Yadav and Sahab Yuvraj Singh, all of whom are expected to play key roles this season. In the bowling department, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mohd. Sharim, Vijay Yadav and Rishabh Rajput are expected to spearhead the attack.Meanwhile, Kashi Rudras officially unveiled their jersey for the upcoming season at a press conference in Varanasi on Friday. The launch marked the formal beginning of the team’s campaign and celebrated the spiritual heritage of Varanasi while highlighting the franchise’s strong bond with its supporters.
