Veteran opener KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal who impressed in the Sri Lanka series and experienced fast bowler Mohammed Siraj have been asked to play for South Zone in the Duleep Trophy final against East Zone.
The match will begin in Chennai on 6th September.
Will Gautam Gambhir clear Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to play?
Tilak Varma leads South Zone along with young star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan are part of India’s T20I squad. Their availability for the Duleep Trophy final will depend on Gautam Gambhir’s approval.
Why are National selectors pushing key Indian players to participate in Domestic Cricket?
‘Rahul, Padikkal and Siraj do not have any competitive cricket right now. The national selectors want any India player who is available should play the Duleep Trophy final. The trio played last on August 27. The next they will play is September 27 against West Indies in the ODIs.
When will a final decision be made regarding their travel itinerary?
‘Now Padikkal is not a part of ODIs so he might play India A series. But Duleep final if there is a chance, they should play,’ a BCCI source privy to the development told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Could Head Coach Gautam Gambhir allow the trio to report late to the Delhi camp?
The decision on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma will be taken by coach Gautam Gambhir. ‘The Indian team will assemble in Delhi on either September 9 or 10. If head coach wants all three to report as per T20I team’s itinerary, then the trio can’t play. But if head coach wants them to play the final and report to Delhi on September 10 late evening, they can also do that,’ the source added.
Will Ajit Agarkar secure a contract extension as Chief Selector?
Questions remain over Ajit Agarkar’s contract extension after he missed the important BCCI review meeting because of family reasons. However, the chief selector will travel to Chennai to watch the Duleep Trophy final. His current contract ends on 4th October. It will be interesting to see if BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia speaks to Agarkar about extending his contract.
Why are Mayank Yadav, Kartik Tyagi, and Mohsin Khan joining the Asian Games squad?
The BCCI plans to send Mayank Yadav, Kartik Tyagi and left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan to the Asian Games in Japan. They will join the Indian team as net bowlers to help the players prepare for matches. Head coach VVS Laxman has specifically asked for them. The BCCI often takes extra bowlers on tours, and all three have good experience in T20 cricket.