Karnataka’s Mayank Agarwal has been named as the new captain of the India A side for their Duleep Trophy second-round fixture against India D, starting on September 12 at the Rural Development Trust Stadium in Anantapur. Agarwal takes over the captaincy from Shubman Gill, who has been called up to the Indian national team for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh.
Gill, who captained India A in their first-round loss to India B in Bengaluru, will join India’s senior squad for the first Test against Bangladesh, set to begin on September 19. His departure is one of several changes to the India A squad, with a number of players being called up for national duty or ruled out due to injuries.
Joining Gill in the national setup are Dhruv Jurel, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, and Akash Deep, all of whom will miss the remainder of the Duleep Trophy. To fill the void left by these key players, India A has brought in Akshay Wadkar, Shaik Rasheed, and Shams Mulani as replacements.
Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna, who missed the first-round match due to a knee injury, has been included in the India A squad for the second round. However, wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan will remain unavailable as he continues to recover from his injury.
The changes are not limited to India A. The India B squad, which secured a victory against India A in their opening match, will also see some players leaving for national duty. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, and Yash Dayal have been called up to the national squad and will be replaced by Rinku Singh, Suyash Prabhudessai, and Himanshu Mantri for the rest of the domestic tournament.
India D, meanwhile, will bring in Nishant Sindhu and Vidwath Kaverappa as replacements for Axar Patel and Tushar Deshpande, respectively. Both Patel and Deshpande will miss the rest of the competition due to their international commitments.
As for India C, their squad remains unchanged after a successful first-round victory over India D, where they won by four wickets. India C will face India B in their next match, scheduled to take place at the ADA-ADCA Cricket Ground in Anantapur.
This round of the Duleep Trophy sees a number of India A and India B players balancing domestic and international duties, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the competition. With new captains and players coming in, the second round promises to be a crucial stage in determining which team will advance further in the tournament.
Mayank Agarwal, who has previously captained Karnataka and played for India in Tests, brings valuable leadership experience to the India A squad. His experience at the international level, combined with the fresh talent coming in, will be crucial as India A looks to bounce back after their opening-round defeat.
The Duleep Trophy, a prestigious domestic tournament in Indian cricket, continues to serve as a proving ground for emerging talent while also providing seasoned players with the opportunity to showcase their skills ahead of international fixtures. With the second round starting soon, all eyes will be on the performances of these players as they vie for attention from the national selectors.
As India’s domestic cricket scene heats up, the ongoing reshuffling of squads reflects the depth of talent available, with players consistently moving between the domestic and international circuits.
