The Duleep Trophy, a prestigious domestic cricket tournament in India, is set to commence its first round on September 5, 2024, in Anantapur. However, one of the key players, Ishan Kishan, is unlikely to participate due to a hamstring niggle.
Ishan Kishan’s Injury
Kishan’s hamstring issue reportedly surfaced during his participation in the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament in Tamil Nadu earlier this month. This tournament marked his return to multi-day cricket after over a year, of playing for Jharkhand. The injury has raised concerns about his fitness and availability for the upcoming matches.
Impact on India D Team
The India D team, which will face India C in the first round, will miss Kishan’s experience and skills. KS Bharat is the only other wicketkeeper in the squad, and he is expected to step in for Kishan. The team management has not yet named a cover for Kishan, indicating that they are still assessing the severity of his injury.
Other Absences
Kishan’s potential absence adds to a growing list of top Indian players who have been ruled out of the tournament for various reasons. Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna, who is recovering from a quadriceps injury, will also miss the first round. Prasidh has been undergoing rehabilitation and has started bowling at full tilt, but the National Cricket Academy trainers are cautious about his return.
Suryakumar Yadav, another prominent player, had to put his comeback to red-ball cricket on hold after bruising his hand during the Buchi Babu tournament. Additionally, fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Umran Malik have been withdrawn due to dengue fever, and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been released from the India B squad for unspecified reasons.
🚨 REPORTS 🚨
Ishan Kishan is doubtful for tomorrow's first game of the Duleep Trophy due to an injury 🤕🏏
🔹 Sanju Samson is likely to replace him in the squad 🧤#IshanKishan #SanjuSamson #DuleepTrophy #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/eI5jTI21cK
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) September 4, 2024
Replacements and Adjustments
In response to these setbacks, the team management has made several replacements. Navdeep Saini has been brought in to replace Siraj in the India B squad, while Puducherry fast bowler Gourav Yadav has been selected to fill in for Malik in the India C team.
The Duleep Trophy’s Significance
The Duleep Trophy has traditionally been a platform for showcasing emerging talent and providing a competitive environment for players to prove their mettle. Despite the absence of some key players, the tournament will still feature several top Indian Test players, including Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Kuldeep Yadav. These players will participate in the first round before dispersing to prepare for India’s Test season against Bangladesh, starting on September 19 in Chennai.
