(Source X)
The forthcoming Duleep Trophy is anticipated to showcase India’s cricketing elite, including captain Rohit Sharma and star player Virat Kohli, as selectors aim to have all Test players participate in the domestic tournament before the home series against Bangladesh.
The Indian Express reports that the BCCI selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, will be responsible for choosing the squads for the four teams—India A, India B, India C, and India D—that will compete in the updated Duleep Trophy format.
In addition to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, several other prominent players such as Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel have been invited to participate in the Duleep Trophy.
However, Jasprit Bumrah, who was instrumental in India’s triumph at the 2024 T20 World Cup, is expected to be absent from the tournament and may even miss the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh.
India is scheduled to play 10 Test matches over a four-month period: five at home (two against Bangladesh and three against New Zealand) and five during their tour of Australia.
The Duleep Trophy, which will consist of six matches, is set to take place in Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh) starting September 5. However, there is a possibility that the venue might be moved to M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, as Anantapur lacks an airport and the Indian cricketers have expressed a preference for a more accessible location.
There is currently no confirmation on which matches Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will participate in. However, if the team management opts to hold a preparatory camp in Chennai before the Bangladesh series, both players are likely to be involved in the opening game of the Duleep Trophy.
Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan, who were left out of the BCCI’s annual contract list, are also anticipated to participate in the Duleep Trophy. In contrast, experienced players Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane will not be included, as the team management is focusing on younger talent.
Iyer and Kishan were reportedly penalized for not adhering to the BCCI’s directive to prioritize domestic competitions during national duty. While Iyer has recently rejoined the national team for the Sri Lanka ODI series earlier this month, Kishan has not featured in international cricket for nearly nine months.
