Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and R Ashwin will not participate in Duleep Trophy - Reports
Team India senior red-ball candidates Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and R Ashwin will not participate in the upcoming 2024 Duleep Trophy. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah is also set to miss the domestic competition, keeping the extensive home season and the Border-Gavaskar series coming up.
Earlier reports suggested that the senior Indian players will play the domestic red-ball competition to be ready for the home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand. India are scheduled to play five Tests in the coming months as part of the World Test Championship (WTC).
However, according to a report by ESPN Cricinfo, the senior candidates are being given an extended break considering the red-ball-heavy months coming up in the schedule.
In line with the new regulations where contracted players are specifically required to play in the domestic circuit when not on international duty or during injury, all players apart from the aforementioned senior players and Bumrah, will be required to play.
As a result, international stars like Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and others will be playing the Duleep Trophy.
The squads for the Duleep Trophy will be picked in the coming weeks by the selection committee led by chairman Ajit Agarkar. The tournament is slated to begin on September 5, with simultaneous clashes in Anantapur.
However, one of the contests is likely to be shifted to Bengaluru owing to logistical adjustments.
Mohammed Shami also in contention to play the Duleep Trophy
Mohammed Shami, who is inching closer to a comeback, having started bowling in the nets, is also in contention to feature in the domestic tournament. Should he be able to play in the coming weeks at full throttle, he will be a certain inclusion for India's home season and beyond.
The right-arm pacer is a vital cog in India's seam bowling unit, and his role becomes crucial in the red-ball assignments, should Bumrah be rested for the Bangladesh series. Furthermore, his role in the Australian conditions speaks for itself.
Shami's last competitive cricket contest was the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia. He reportedly played the tournament with an injury and managed the condition with injections. The pacer underwent surgery to rectify the issue and went on to miss the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season for the Gujarat Titans (GT).