Amandeep Khare: The Quiet Run-Machine Powering Chhattisgarh’s Present
Right now, the story of Amandeep Khare is not a throwback to what he once was, but a live, unfolding chapter of what he is doing in Indian domestic cricket this very season. He is in the middle of a purple patch, carrying Chhattisgarh’s batting across formats and doing it as captain, with a blend of calm authority and attacking intent that has turned 2025–26 into one of the most defining stretches of his career.
Captain at the Centre of Chhattisgarh’s Ranji Ambition
When Chhattisgarh named its 17‑member squad for the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy, one decision made the direction of the campaign unmistakably clear: the captaincy armband went to Amandeep Khare. For a state still relatively young in the big, unforgiving ecosystem of Indian first‑class cricket, placing both leadership and batting responsibility on one man is a statement of trust.
The squad announcement confirmed him as skipper for Elite Group D, tasked with navigating a schedule that began with testing away fixtures against seasoned opponents like Rajasthan and Mumbai. Those early games set the tone for what was expected of him: not just runs, but clarity of field placements, bowling changes, and a stabilizing presence when the inevitable top‑order wobble arrived.
Under his leadership, Chhattisgarh have leaned on his temperament as much as his technique. Every time the side walks out, there is an unspoken assumption: if Khare bats long, they compete; if he falls early, the contest tilts.
A First-Class Purple Patch: Big Runs, Big Responsibility
The numbers from the current Ranji season tell their own story. In late 2025, Amandeep has stacked up a sequence of innings that look less like scattered performances and more like the deliberate work of a batter in control of his game.
His recent first‑class scores read like a form chart of a player peaking:
0 & 13 vs Rajasthan
1 & 26* vs Mumbai
156 vs Jammu & Kashmir in Raipur
44 vs Puducherry
That 156 against Jammu & Kashmir was the sort of innings that bends a match. Coming in the heart of the season, it displayed his core strengths – patience against the new ball, assured stroke play through the off side, and the ability to accelerate once set. It wasn’t a flashy knock for the sake of aesthetics; it was a calculated occupation of the crease that gave his team a platform they could not have built without him.
The unbeaten 101 against Himachal Pradesh at Nadaun carried a different kind of weight. This was a classic “captain’s hundred”: constructed under pressure, paced to suit the conditions, and finished with the composure of someone who understands that staying there till the end is often the difference between a competitive total and a collapse. On his own social media, that century was highlighted as a proud moment, signaling not just a personal milestone but a message that Chhattisgarh’s captain can handle tough away conditions as well as home comforts.
Vijay Hazare Trophy: Lone Warrior in a Faltering Line-Up
Switch the format and the pattern remains: in the current Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26, Khare again finds himself carrying more than his share of responsibility. Where some teams have the luxury of contributions spread across the top five, Chhattisgarh’s scorecards in late December tell a more stark story.
Against Goa and Punjab, the template repeated itself. In both matches, Amandeep scored 76, forming the backbone of Chhattisgarh’s batting effort and sharing a crucial partnership with wicketkeeper‑batter Mayank Verma. The combination of Khare’s 76 and Verma’s 64 in one of those games hinted at a genuine one‑two punch at the top, but the rest of the line‑up could not sustain the momentum.
Both times, Chhattisgarh were bowled out in the 49th over, the innings fraying once the Khare‑Verma axis was broken. In the match against Punjab, that fragility was brutally exposed: Chhattisgarh’s 252 was overhauled with ease as Punjab cruised to a nine‑wicket victory. The post‑match narrative was blunt – Khare and Verma had done their part, the rest had not.
Yet, even in defeat, the tone of coverage around Amandeep was one of respect rather than criticism. Reports described his batting as “positive intent” and “attacking,” underlining how he set the tone early with controlled aggression. For a side that is still learning how to compete consistently in India’s 50‑over landscape, his presence at the top remains the most reliable source of hope.
SMAT 2025–26: Consistency in the Shortest Format
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy often demands a different kind of batting personality: explosive cameos, fearless improvisation, and a willingness to live with high‑risk strokes. Yet Amandeep’s 2025–26 SMAT campaign has proved that consistency and structure can still dominate in T20 cricket.
Across seven games in the Elite group stage, he posted five scores of 40‑plus – a striking demonstration of dependability in a format where even top‑order batters regularly fail to convert starts. One widely‑shared line summed it up: “Amandeep Khare turned SMAT 2025–26 into his own consistency masterclass.”
These weren’t selfish, stat-padding knocks. Each innings was tuned to match context – stabilizing early after quick wickets, nudging the run‑rate up in the middle overs, and occasionally pushing the accelerator when the game called for it. For Chhattisgarh, his role in SMAT was not just that of a run‑getter, but of a stabilizer who gave their bowlers something to defend.
This stretch also nudged his broader T20 identity in a new direction. Instead of being seen only as a solid first‑class player who “can also play T20,” he has begun to be spoken of as a genuine multi‑format anchor, equally comfortable absorbing pressure in four‑day cricket and shaping a chase in 20 overs.
Social Media, State Pride, and the Image of a Modern Domestic Pro
Scroll through Amandeep’s social media presence and the picture that forms is consistent with what the scorecards say. His Instagram bio is straightforward – referencing his journey through India Under‑19, India A, and his identity as a professional cricketer from Raipur. The posts that resonate the most are not lifestyle shots but snapshots of his cricket: photos celebrating first‑class milestones, dressing‑room moments after big wins, and mention of those milestone tons.
The Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh’s own posts add another layer. They repeatedly highlight his “positive intent” at the top, talk about “attacking knocks” that set up their innings, and frame him as the player around whom match narratives revolve. In many of these updates, Khare is not just one of eleven – he is the face, the reference point.
This is where his impact goes beyond a mere stat line. In a state still forging its cricketing identity, the image of a homegrown captain, grinding out hundreds in Ranji and punching 70s in Vijay Hazare and SMAT, shapes how fans see their team. For younger players in the system, he stands as proof that you can come through Chhattisgarh’s pathway and still be at the centre of national‑level domestic conversations.
The Weight of Being “The Guy”
All of this comes with a cost. When one player becomes central to a team’s fortunes in three formats, every failure feels amplified. A low score is no longer just an off day; it becomes a wobble in the team’s entire structure. In that sense, Amandeep’s current season is not just a test of skill, but of mental stamina.
The recent run of matches shows him walking that tightrope. The twin failures against Rajasthan and the scratchy innings versus Mumbai sit right next to his commanding hundreds and seventies in the same block of fixtures. The manner in which he has rebounded from those blips – returning to big scores without visible drama – reflects the kind of internal discipline that is rarely visible on highlight reels but is crucial for a long domestic career.
News and analysis around Chhattisgarh’s current campaigns also reveal another undercurrent: a growing recognition that the state needs more of its batters to stand up if it wants to convert Khare’s individual brilliance into consistent team results. In that context, his role increasingly resembles that of a senior pillar trying to hold up an entire structure while encouraging the rest to grow stronger.
Where the Story Stands Now
As 2025 draws to a close, the current-news snapshot of Amandeep Khare is unmistakably clear. He is:
The captain of Chhattisgarh’s 2025–26 Ranji Trophy side, entrusted with leading a 17‑member squad in Elite Group D.
The key run‑scorer in first‑class cricket this season, with standout knocks of 156 and 101 anchoring the team’s most competitive outings.
The primary batting force in Chhattisgarh’s Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign, producing back‑to‑back 76s even as his side stumbled.
One of the most consistent batters in the 2025–26 SMAT group stage, with five scores of 40‑plus in seven games.
