The squads for the upcoming Duleep Trophy have drawn attention due to a shortage of emerging pacers and seam-bowling all-rounders, reflecting concerns about the depth of talent in these areas. As the 2024-25 domestic season kicks off, the BCCI has shifted away from the traditional zonal format, instead opting for a mix of Test regulars and promising new talent across four teams: India A, B, C, and D.
With key Test matches ahead, including a tour of Australia in November and home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, the focus is on building a strong backup contingent. While the squads include a few seasoned players like Mohammed Siraj, Avesh Khan, and Prasidh Krishna, the presence of uncapped and relatively less experienced seamers raises concerns.
Of the 61 players selected, only 26 are uncapped, with 15 of them being bowlers. Notably, Shivam Dube stands out as one of the few seam-bowling all-rounders available. With Hardik Pandya reluctant to return to Test cricket, Dube's successful comeback in red-ball cricket for Mumbai—where he scored over 400 runs and took 12 wickets last season—makes him a key inclusion. Andhra's Nitish Kumar Reddy is another seam-bowling all-rounder, but is currently dealing with injury concerns.
Among the uncapped seamers, Vidwath Kaverappa, who has 80 wickets in 20 First-Class matches, has been a standout performer and is included in the India A squad. Mohit Awasthi, who took 35 wickets in the Ranji Trophy, along with left-arm seamer Yash Dayal and Delhi’s Harshit Rana, have also been included despite limited recent red-ball action. Other notable inclusions are Assam’s Akash Sengupta, Karnataka’s Vyshak Vijaykumar, and Vidarbha’s Aditya Thakare.
The selectors have also turned their attention to spin-bowling all-rounders, seeking backups for Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Mumbai’s Tanush Kotian and Rajasthan’s Manav Suthar, both of whom had impressive domestic seasons, have been included. Off-spinners Saransh Jain and Hrithik Shokeen are also part of the squad, ensuring strong spin options.
In terms of batting, selectors have chosen young players who excelled in the recent Ranji season. Shashwat Rawat, Musheer Khan, Yash Dubey, and Atharva Taide are among the promising batters who earned call-ups. The retention of Suryakumar Yadav despite a slow start in Tests and the exclusion of veterans like Jaydev Unadkat, Hanuma Vihari, and Cheteshwar Pujara highlight a shift towards youth and recent performance over experience.
The Duleep Trophy will be an important tournament for both experienced and emerging players as India prepares for a packed Test calendar.
Key Inclusions in the Duleep Trophy:
- Batters/Wicketkeepers: Shaswat Rawat, Musheer Khan, N Jagadeesan (wk), Aryan Juyal (wk), Atharva Taide, Yash Dubey, Ricky Bhui (wk).
- Pacers: Vidwath Kaverappa, Mohit Awasthi, Yash Dayal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Himanshu Chauhan, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Harshit Rana.
- Spinners: Tanush Kotian, Hrithik Shokeen, Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain.