The 2024 Duleep Trophy is set to begin on September 5, with all eyes on the opening fixture between India A and India B, with those two teams having several Indian Test team regulars. The fixture will be played at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium while the India C and India D teams face off in Anantapur.
The India A side will be captained by Shumban Gill as he is groomed for the captaincy of the national team in the years to come. Gill was named vice-captain of the Indian ODI and T20I teams for the tour of Sri Lanka, hinting at him as a possible replacement for Rohit Sharma in the top job. It will not come as a surprise if Gill is also named as Rohit's deputy in Test cricket for the series against Bangladesh, especially if Jasprit Bumrah is not part of the squad.
KL Rahul, who captained India in all three formats not too long ago, is also part of the squad. The opening pair of the India A side will be interesting to see, as Mayank Agarwal is set to slot in but his partner remains unclear. Gill and Rahul are likely to bat at numbers three and four after a change in their batting positions for the national team in the longest position over the last 18 months.
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This could mean 23-year-old Shaswat Rawat gets a chance at the top of the order after an impressive Ranji Trophy season in 2023-24 for Baroda.
Dhruv Jurel is set to take the gloves for the team after his impressive Test debut for Team India in the series against England earlier this year. In just his second Test appearance for the national team, Jurel won the MOTM award for helping India seal a tense win in the Ranchi Test, and his presence will ensure Rishabh Pant faces a tough fight to reclaim his crown as India's undisupted first-choice in the longest format.
This leaves the team with one remaining middle-order spot with three batting all-rounders in the form of Tilak Verma, Riyan Parag, and Shivam Dube in contention. Tilak has the superior first-class record among the three with a batting average of 50.42 and should get the nod to bat at number five
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There are only two spinners in the squad, with Kuldeep Yadav set to headline the bowling attack. Kuldeep should form a strong spin bowling duo with Mumbai's Tanush Kotian, who had a breakthrough season in his team's Ranji Trophy title win earlier this year with both bat and ball. There remains the possibility of the team management trusting Parag as the second spinner and allowing him to bat at number seven and take Kotian's place.
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However, it is the pace-bowling unit where things get interesting in this team with a strong five-man unit that consists of Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, and Vidwath Kaverappa.
Akash Deep is likely to get a spot after an impressive debut vs. England, while Avesh Khan was also part of the squad and impressed for India-A against South Africa-A last year. Prasidh Krishna, who played both Tests for India against South Africa last year, should get the nod as the third pace, which will mean Khaleel and Kavrappa miss out despite being two of the most promising speedsters in the nation.
India A Likely Playing XI vs India B in Duleep Trophy 2024: Mayank Agarwal, Shaswat Rawat, Shubman Gill (C), KL Rahul, Tilak Verma, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Tanush Kotian, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, Prasidh Krishna
India A Squad For Duleep Trophy 2024: Shubman Gill (C), Mayank Agarwal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, KL Rahul, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Tanush Kotian, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Vidwath Kaverappa, Kumar Kushagra, Shaswat Rawat.