Top Indian Cricketers To Miss Season-Opening Duleep Trophy

Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, and Jasprit Bumrah will miss the Duleep Trophy starting on September 5. Teams will be selected later this month. Key players include KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant, with potential participation from Mohammed Shami. The tournament runs until September 22 in a round-robin format.

Top Indian cricketers including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, and Jasprit Bumrah will sit out the season-opening Duleep Trophy, set to begin on September 5, as reported by ESPNcricinfo. A panel led by Ajit Agarkar will select the teams later this month. In contrast, most other centrally contracted players are expected to compete in the four-team tournament.

Among the significant inclusions are KL Rahul, who missed most of the England Tests due to injury, and Rishabh Pant, poised for his first red-ball match since recuperating from a car accident in December 2022. Specialist batters like Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rajat Patidar are also likely to feature.

Additionally, Mohammed Shami, on the cusp of full fitness, may be asked to participate in a match to confirm his readiness. Currently undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA in Bengaluru, Shami has ramped up his bowling workload over the past week.

India's cricket schedule for the next five months includes 10 Tests, split between home and Australia. To prepare, senior players will have an extended break before the two-Test series against Bangladesh begins on September 19 in Chennai. Logistical challenges may shift one Duleep Trophy match from Anantapur to Bengaluru, with the Karnataka State Cricket Association approached to host.

This move aligns with the BCCI's recent emphasis on domestic cricket. In February, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah indicated that privileging the IPL over domestic matches could affect player contracts, a scenario that saw Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan lose central contracts after missing Ranji Trophy games. Originating as a zonal contest, the Duleep Trophy's format has been revised this season based on BCCI working group recommendations.

The revamped format seeks to offer a broader pool of players more opportunities as India enters a busy Test season. The four-team tournament will run until September 22, using a round-robin format to determine the winner.

(With inputs from agencies.)