SS Das dropped from Orissa squad

Orissa captain Shiv Sunder Das has been dropped from the state's Ranji Trophy squad after his pair in their innings loss to Karnataka. Das, who has scored just five runs in five innings during this season's Ranji Trophy Super League, will be replaced as captain by seamer Debasis Mohanty.

Allrounder Rakesh Mohanty was also dropped from the squad, while Orissa's second-highest run-getter this year, Niranjan Behera, was named vice-captain. Das and Rakesh will not be replaced in the squad, which was pruned from 16 to 14.

Orissa are second from bottom in Group B of the Super League with just four points from three games. Their form took a downward curve after they started with a creditable performance against Baroda where they took three points for a first-innings lead. They then conceded a first-innings lead to Uttar Pradesh before the heavy loss to Karnataka in the last round. They next take on bottom-placed Punjab in a crucial home tie on December 1.