Indian Test captain Shubman Gill is unlikely to feature in the upcoming Duleep Trophy, even though he was recently appointed as the skipper of the North Zone side.
Shubman Gill Set to Miss Duleep Trophy Despite Being Named Captain
Shubman Gill’s rise in Indian cricket has been remarkable. Under the Gambhir era, he has quickly built a reputation as the next big leader in Indian cricket, seen as a future all-format captain.
Since taking over as Test captain after Rohit Sharma’s retirement, Gill has been in superb form. He piled up 754 runs in just five matches during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England, showcasing both consistency and authority with the bat.
His performance opened doors for a T20I comeback too, where he was named India’s vice-captain in the Asia Cup, with an eye on grooming him for future leadership roles in white-ball cricket.
Duleep Trophy and Scheduling Clash
Gill was also named North Zone skipper for the Duleep Trophy, the first event of the Indian domestic season starting August 28 in Bengaluru. However, his participation now looks unlikely.
Reports suggest Gill has been advised to rest due to sickness. According to Cricbuzz, he has undergone fitness tests and submitted a health report to the BCCI. Even if he had played, his Duleep Trophy run would have been short, as India’s Asia Cup preparations begin on September 5, with the tournament kicking off on September 9.
Arshdeep, Harshit Replaced Ahead of Asia Cup
Given the uncertainty, the North Zone had already prepared backup plans. Shubham Rohilla has been named Gill’s replacement in the squad. Haryana’s Ankit Kumar, the current vice-captain, is expected to step in as captain.
The selection committee also made changes for other Asia Cup-bound players. Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana were replaced by Gurnoor Brar and Anuj Thakral.
The North Zone selectors include Chetan Sharma (Haryana), Nikhil Chopra (Delhi), Amit Uniyal (Chandigarh), Mithun Minhas (J&K and convenor), Raj Kumar (Services), and Mukesh Kumar (Himachal Pradesh).
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