While several centrally contracted players will be in action in the 2024 Duleep Trophy, the tournament could also pave the way for out-of-favour players’ return to the Indian Test team.
Rishabh Pant
Since the near-fatal road accident, Pant returned to international cricket during India’s victorious T20 World Cup in June and was part of their Sri Lanka tour, in which he made his ODI comeback. With a long home Test summer ahead, followed by the Border Gavaskar Trophy, the tournament will be a platform for the wicketkeeper-batter to prove his match fitness in the longest format.
Suryakumar Yadav
The India T20I captain recently expressed his desire to make a Test comeback. However, his ambitions faced a roadblock after he sustained a hand injury while fielding for Mumbai in this year’s Buchi Babu Tournament, ruling him out of the first round. Surya has represented India in a solitary Test during their home series against Australia last year.
Ishan Kishan
Snubbed of BCCI’s central contract and subsequently dropped from India’s squads after refusing to participate in domestic cricket, Kishan will look to be back in the reckoning for an international return. Having slammed an 86-ball hundred on his red-ball comeback for Jharkhand in the Buchi Babu Tournament, the wicketkeeper-batter had a perfect start to his comeback journey.
However, according to a Cricbuzz report, he is doubtful for the first Duleep Trophy match.
Bangladesh's Test series win over Pakistan came after the country endured weeks of political instability.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) September 4, 2024
Mehidy Hasan Miraz dedicated his Player of the Series award to those who passed away during the protests back home.
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Shreyas Iyer
Iyer was also omitted from the central contract because of a similar reason as Kishan's. However, he returned in the last Ranji Trophy semi-final for Mumbai and scored a 95 against Vidarbha in the final.
He played the first two Tests against England this year but was dropped from the team after that owing to poor form. As Team D’s captain, the middle-order batter has a point to prove and a spot in the India Test middle order to grab back.
KL Rahul
Having scored 101 off 137 balls against South Africa in the Boxing Day Test as a wicketkeeper last year, Rahul played as a specialist batter in India’s last Test series against England.
He missed the majority of the series due to a quadriceps injury. With Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel impressing on debuts, Rahul’s comeback in the XI might not be as straightforward as one would think. However, an excellent Duleep Trophy could cement his place.
Washington Sundar
The spin-bowling all-rounder has been irregular in India’s squad due to injury setbacks. Sundar's young Test career already has some valuable knocks, including a 62 on debut in a crucial seventh-wicket partnership with Shardul Thakur during India’s famous Gabba win in 2021.
Recently, he won the Player of the Series award in India’s tour of Zimbabwe and impressed during the subsequent Sri Lanka tour, including bowling a match-winning Super Over in the third T20I, where he conceded just two runs. Two impressive international tours followed by an excellent domestic season, could pave the way for his comeback in the Test squad.
Prasidh Krishna
The Karnataka fast bowler had a tough Test debut in South Africa, managing only two wickets from as many Tests while leaking runs at an economy rate of 4.64. Following the series, a quadricep injury in the Ranji Trophy in January this year pushed his career in limbo, forcing him out of IPL 2024.
After undergoing surgery, he made his comeback in the Maharaja Trophy and will be rearing to reclaim his spot in India’s whites with a strong performance in the tournament.
Rajat Patidar
Patidar played as Virat Kohli’s replacement during the England series but failed to make a mark. The middle-order batter could only manage 63 runs at 10.50 and was found wanting against spin.
Despite the initial failure, Patidar is one of the most sought-after talents in the domestic circuit and is expected to perform this season, opening doors for a possible Test return.
Akash Deep
The pacer was another player to receive his international cap in the England series, reducing England to 3-57 in the morning session of the Ranchi Test, with wickets of Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope. That is his only outing so far.
With the probable return of seniors like Mohammed Shami on the cards, Akash Deep needs to have a good season to retain his place.
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