The upcoming Duleep Trophy is set to be one of the most eagerly awaited domestic cricket tournaments in India, featuring four teams, 60 players, and more than two dozen Indian internationals across six matches. While the Duleep Trophy hasn’t always been the most star-studded red-ball competition in the past two decades, this year’s edition promises to change that perception.
Kicking off India’s domestic cricket season, the tournament will bring together a mix of top domestic performers and experienced Indian internationals, forming highly competitive and star-studded squads.
Among the 60 players participating in this year’s Duleep Trophy, many are uncapped, reflecting the BCCI’s intent to identify emerging talents who could potentially replace the current generation of players nearing the end of their careers.
The tournament will adopt a round-robin league format featuring four teams: India A, India B, India C, and India D. This is a shift from the traditional zonal-based format, where teams represented regions such as South, North, West, Central, East, and North-East.
The Duleep Trophy will consist of six matches, spread across three rounds. The first round will take place from September 5 to 8, the second from September 12 to 15, and the third from September 19 to 22. The games will be hosted at venues in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, and Bengaluru, Karnataka.
In the first round, India A will face India B at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, while India C will compete against India D at the Rural Development Trust Stadium A in Anantapur.
With a home Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand also on the horizon, the Duleep Trophy serves as a crucial platform for players vying for a spot in the Indian Test squad.
The series includes two matches against Bangladesh, followed by three against New Zealand. Additionally, players will also be looking to secure a place in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia later this year.
Shubman Gill, who will captain India A, solidified his position in the Indian side during the home series against England earlier this year. Players like KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Rajat Patidar, and Ishan Kishan will be eager to reclaim their spots in the national team with strong performances in the Duleep Trophy. After sitting on the sidelines in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Yashasvi Jaiswal will be hoping to accumulate lots of runs ahead the upcoming Test season, where he is anticipated to open alongside skipper Rohit Sharma.
The tournament also presents an ideal chance for fringe players like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhimanyu Easwaran, B Sai Sudharsan, R Sai Kishore, and Devdutt Padikkal to make their mark.
Dhruv Jurel will be determined to secure his place as a wicket-keeper batter as he will face stiff competition from returning Rishabh Pant and out-of-favour Kishan, while Kuldeep Yadav will be aiming to get some game time before the Test season. Fast bowlers like Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, and Avesh Khan will also be looking to make an impact.
As the Test regulars depart, players such as Vidwath Kaverappa, Kumar Kushagra, and Tanush Kotian may get opportunities to step in and showcase their abilities.
With Hardik Pandya not in the Test plans, the 2024 Duleep Trophy offers a crucial platform for seam-bowling all-rounders Shivam Dube (India A) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (India B) to prove their worth. India is in need of a seam-bowling all-rounder in the Test squad, and a strong performance here could lead to a call-up for one of them.
Eyeing a potential Test recall, Suryakumar Yadav was initially set to play for Ruturaj Gaikwad’s India C in the opening round of the Duleep Trophy. However, the 33-year-old cricketer has been sidelined for the first round and will spend the next few days at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, recovering from a hand injury he sustained while fielding in a Buchi Babu match against TNCA XI in Coimbatore.
India has been searching for a left-arm fast bowler, and if Arshdeep Singh or Khaleel Ahmed impresses in this tournament, they could earn a place in the squad—if not for the home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, then possibly for the tour of Australia.
The 2024 edition will be particularly significant as it comes in the backdrop of India’s preparations for upcoming international series and tournaments. Players who perform well in the Duleep Trophy could find themselves in contention for spots in the Indian Test and ODI squads, especially with a packed international calendar ahead.