The tournament, marking the opener of India’s domestic season on September 5, will take place in Bengaluru and Anantapur. The format has shifted from a zonal approach to four teams: India A, India B, India C, and India D, chosen by the Ajit Agarkar-led BCCI Selection Committee.
“India has played 249 international matches in the last 5 years.Rohit has played only 59% of those. Virat 61% & Bumrah 34%. I see them as well rested India players. Could have been selected for the Duleep trophy,” said Manjrekar on ‘X’.
The BCCI announced on Tuesday that Ravindra Jadeja has been released from participation without citing a reason. Additionally, Mohammed Siraj and Umran Malik will not feature as they are recovering from recent illness, with Navdeep Saini and Gaurav Yadav named as replacements.
The Duleep Trophy will be crucial in identifying key players for India’s packed Test calendar and their readiness, as a spot in the World Test Championship final is at stake.
India’s home season will commence with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting on September 19 in Chennai, followed by a second game in Kanpur beginning on September 27.
Following this series, India will play three Test matches against New Zealand in Bengaluru, Pune and Mumbai. Subsequently, the team will travel to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which begins on November 22 in Perth.
