August 12th 2024.
New Delhi: In preparation for the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has instructed top national team players, such as KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, to participate in the Duleep Trophy to some extent. This decision was made with the guidance of new coach Gautam Gambhir, and in consultation with the selectors.
As per a report by Cricbuzz, the India captain Rohit Sharma and star player Virat Kohli have been given a choice to decide whether they want to join the tournament or not. It seems that Hardik Pandya, who has taken a break from red-ball cricket, is likely to be the only notable absence among the top international players. However, despite constantly being overlooked for international assignments, selectors are considering including Ishan Kishan in one of the four squads. Additionally, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, who is still recovering from surgery, will also be exempted from domestic duties.
The decision to include international players in domestic competitions is in line with BCCI's efforts to address the issue of players skipping domestic matches. Last year, the board had notably left out Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan from the central contract list as a part of this policy. This move aims to encourage players to participate in domestic tournaments and support the development of cricket at the grassroots level.
The Duleep Trophy, a multi-day first-class competition, will consist of a league format without any knockout games, and is scheduled to conclude on September 22. The Karnataka State Cricket Association has confirmed that the first of the six four-day red-ball matches will be held at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, starting September 5. Despite Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh being the designated venue for the tournament, this particular game has been relocated to Bengaluru.
The exemption for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli has been explained by a source, who mentioned that the two star players have been overworked and it is up to them to decide if they want to participate in the Duleep Trophy. Rohit last played in a domestic match in 2021, while Kohli has not featured in a national-level game since 2015. This opportunity to play in a domestic tournament could provide them with some valuable match practice and contribute to their overall development as players.
Overall, this decision reflects the BCCI's dedication to promote and strengthen domestic cricket, and we hope to see some exciting performances from the top national team players in the upcoming Duleep Trophy.
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