After a hiatus, the highly sought after Duleep Trophy is back to kick off the domestic first-class season in India. With the country playing 10 Test matches in the next four months, the competition holds more significance than ever, as top cricketers compete for a spot in the national team. While some established players have been rested, it will be an opportunity for the selectors to assess young talents and make necessary changes for the upcoming matches.
India's wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has been ruled out of the first round of Duleep Trophy due to a groin injury sustained in the ongoing All-India Buchi Babu Tournament. He will be replaced by Sanju Samson in India D team, while Suryakumar Yadav and Prasidh Krishna will also miss the opening matches due to injuries. BCCI is closely monitoring their conditions and a further evaluation next week will determine their availability for the second round.