Middle order batsman Mohammad Kaif was retained as the skipper of Uttar Pradesh [ Images ] Ranji team for 2007-08 as a 14-member squad was announced in Kanpur on Sunday.

The squad announced by the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association also included left-handed batsman Suresh Raina [ Images ] and leg-spinner Piyush Chawla [ Images ].

Former champions UP will play its first match on November three against Orissa in Cuttack.

Squad: Mohammed Kaif (Capt), Suresh Raina, Shivkant Shukla, Piyush Chawla, Ravikant Shukla, Tamnay Srivastav, Mohammad Amir Khan [ Images ], Rohit Prakash, Rahat Ilahi,, Ratnesh Mishra, Praveen Gupta, Suraj Pratap, Sudeep Tyagi [ Images ], Raj Singh.

Reserve players: Tahir Abbas, Parvinder Singh, Anshul Kapoor, Abhishek Tiwari.