In the latest development for Indian domestic cricket, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Abhimanyu Easwaran have been named captains of the four squads set to compete in the illustrious Duleep Trophy. According to reports by Cricbuzz, most of the players from India’s senior teams have been roped in to participate in the tournament, with the exception of some key figures such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Hardik Pandya. Another notable omission is R Ashwin, while Mohammed Shami continues his rehabilitation period.
Shubman Gill, who has been in scintillating form recently, will take the helm of Team A. His squad boasts impressive players like Riyan Parag, KL Rahul, Shivam Dube, and the skilful spinner Kuldeep Yadav. These players add a balanced mix of experience and youthful exuberance, which could be crucial in Team A’s quest for glory in the tournament.
Abhimanyu Easwaran, a seasoned campaigner in domestic cricket, will lead Team B. This squad features an array of talents including dynamic batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal, all-rounder Washington Sundar, and experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Rishabh Pant, who has made significant contributions to the national team, also figures prominently in this squad. Allrounder Nitish Reddy is included but will participate only if he clears the fitness tests.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, another exciting prospect for Indian cricket, will be leading Team C. This team includes the hard-hitting Suryakumar Yadav, promising batsman Sai Sudharsan, and Rajat Patidar to strengthen their batting lineup. Given Gaikwad’s leadership and the calibre of players at his disposal, Team C stands as a formidable contender.
Shreyas Iyer will steer Team D, which comprises a well-rounded mix of batsmen and bowlers. Iyer’s squad includes Devdutt Padikkal, flamboyant wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan, and all-rounder Axar Patel, among others. With such talent within the ranks, Team D is expected to provide stiff competition in the tournament.
The BCCI has also announced a significant rule affecting the squads: any players selected for India’s home Test series against Bangladesh will be replaced in their respective Duleep Trophy squads. This decision underscores the BCCI’s intent to nurture a pool of fit and versatile cricketers. The first-class tournament is scheduled to start from September 5 and will be staged in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur and the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
. The finale is set for September 22.
As per Cricbuzz’s mid-July update, the growing presence of national team players in the Duleep Trophy aligns with efforts to elevate the competition’s quality and intensity. These changes are also seen as opportunities for emerging players to test their mettle against established names.
Let’s delve deeper into the squads which have been meticulously assembled for the Duleep Trophy:
**Team A** will be led by **Shubman Gill**. The lineup includes:
– Mayank Agarwal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, KL Rahul, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube.
– Tanush Kotian, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed.
– Avesh Khan, Vidwath Kaverappa, Kumar Kushagra, Shaswat Rawat.
**Team B**, captained by **Abhimanyu Easwaran**, comprises:
– Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant, Musheer Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy*.
– Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Siraj, Yash Dayal, Mukesh Kumar.
– Rahul Chahar, R Sai Kishore, Mohit Awasthi, N Jagadeesan (WK).
**Team C**, under the leadership of **Ruturaj Gaikwad**, includes:
– Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Abishek Porel (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, B Indrajith.
– Hrithik Shokeen, Manav Suthar, Umran Malik, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Anshul Khamboj.
– Himanshu Chauhan, Mayank Markande, Aryan Juyal (WK), Sandeep Warrier.
**Team D**, led by **Shreyas Iyer**, consists of:
– Atharva Taide, Yash Dubey, Devdutt Padikkal, Ishan Kishan (WK), Ricky Bhui.
– Saransh Jain, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Aditya Thakare, Harshit Rana.
– Tushar Deshpande, Akash Sengupta, KS Bharat (WK), Saurabh Kumar.
With such a diverse and talented array of cricketers set to participate, the Duleep Trophy promises to offer an exciting display of cricketing prowess, strategy, and teamwork. This tournament is not only an opportunity for seasoned players to hone their skills further but also a vital platform for emerging young talents to shine and make a mark in Indian cricket. The cricketing fraternity, as well as fans, will be eagerly watching as the competition unfolds, anticipating high-quality cricket and outstanding individual performances.