The forthcoming edition of the Duleep Trophy, a vibrant stage of Indian domestic cricket, has been hit with significant changes as several key players have been ruled out. In a recent announcement, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) disclosed that prominent Test players Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja, and Umran Malik will be missing the tournament for various reasons. This development has led to a reshuffle in the team squads, prompting the selection committee to make necessary adjustments.
Mohammed Siraj and Umran Malik, both vital components of India’s fast-bowling contingent, have been sidelined due to illness. Though the specific nature of their illnesses was not detailed in the BCCI’s official press release, it has been clarified that neither player is expected to recover in time for their scheduled fixtures in the Duleep Trophy. This is an unforeseen setback not only for the Duleep Trophy squads but also for Team India’s international engagements, particularly considering the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, set to commence on September 19.
To fill the void left by Siraj in Team B, the selectors have brought in Navdeep Saini, who will now shoulder the responsibility in the absence of Siraj’s fiery pace. Similarly, for Team C, Gaurav Yadav has been named as replacement for Umran Malik. On the other hand, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, another significant withdrawal from Team B, will not be replaced; the selectors have opted instead to proceed with the existing squad members.
In a statement from the BCCI, the board explained, “Both Siraj and Malik are suffering from an illness and are not expected to be fit in time for their Duleep Trophy fixtures. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has also been released from the Team B squad.
.” This statement underscores the gravity of the situation and the urgent need for other team members to step up.
For the unaware, the Duleep Trophy is scheduled to kick off on September 5 in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, and matches will also be held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The competition serves as an essential platform for emerging cricketers to display their talents and for seasoned players to fine-tune their skills in the longer format of the game.
The revised squads for the first round of the tournament are as follows:
**India A**:
– Shubman Gill (C)
– Mayank Agarwal
– Riyan Parag
– Dhruv Jurel (WK)
– KL Rahul
– Tilak Varma
– Shivam Dube
– Tanush Kotian
– Kuldeep Yadav
– Akash Deep
– Prasidh Krishna
– Khaleel Ahmed
– Avesh Khan
– Vidwath Kaverappa
– Kumar Kushagra
– Shaswat Rawat
**India B**:
– Abhimanyu Easwaran (C)
– Yashasvi Jaiswal
– Sarfaraz Khan
– Rishabh Pant (WK)
– Musheer Khan
– Nitish Kumar Reddy*
– Washington Sundar
– Navdeep Saini
– Yash Dayal
– Mukesh Kumar
– Rahul Chahar
– R Sai Kishore
– Mohit Awasthi
– N Jagadeesan (WK)
**India C**:
– Ruturaj Gaikwad (C)
– Sai Sudharsan
– Rajat Patidar
– Abishek Porel (WK)
– Suryakumar Yadav
– B Indrajith
– Hrithik Shokeen
– Manav Suthar
– Gaurav Yadav
– Vyshak Vijaykumar
– Anshul Khamboj
– Himanshu Chauhan
– Mayank Markande
– Aryan Juyal (WK)
– Sandeep Warrier
**India D**:
– Shreyas Iyer (C)
– 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
In this round of changes, it’s worth noting that Nitish Kumar Reddy’s participation in the Duleep Trophy is still subject to fitness clearance.
The absence of players like Siraj, Malik, and Jadeja certainly adds a layer of complexity to the squads’ preparations. Siraj, who has been sensational with the ball, and Malik, known for his raw pace, leave big shoes to fill. Meanwhile, Jadeja’s comprehensive skills with both bat and ball, along with his exceptional fielding, will be sorely missed by Team B.
As the Duleep Trophy nears its start, the focus now shifts to how these reshuffled squads will perform under the pressure of these recent changes. The tournament remains a crucial stepping stone for aspiring cricketers and a valuable preparatory ground for established players aiming to keep their form intact. Despite the setbacks, the stage is set for an enthralling display of cricket, as fans eagerly anticipate the emergence of new talent and the resurgence of seasoned campaigners.
