Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan’s participation in the first round of the Duleep Trophy remains uncertain due to a hamstring injury. Kishan, who was named in the India D squad captained by Shreyas Iyer, sustained the injury while representing Jharkhand in the recent Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament. While there were initial discussions about replacing him with Sanju Samson, it is highly likely that KS Bharat will take over wicketkeeping duties for India D in the opening round. Kishan is yet to arrive in Anantapur, the venue for India D’s first match against India C.
Adding to the injury woes, India A pacer Prasidh Krishna, recovering from surgery earlier this year, will also miss the first round clash between India A and India B at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. This round of the Duleep Trophy has been significantly impacted by injuries and illness among several key players. Earlier, Suryakumar Yadav was ruled out of the opening round after sustaining a hand injury during the Buchi Babu Tournament. India’s pacers Mohammed Siraj and Umran Malik were also forced to withdraw due to illness, while all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was released from the India B squad, with the reason for his withdrawal remaining unclear.
To fill the gaps, Navdeep Saini replaced Siraj in India B, while Gaurav Yadav from Puducherry stepped in for Malik in India C. The Duleep Trophy, a prestigious domestic tournament in India, has faced a setback with the absence of these prominent players. It remains to be seen how these injuries will affect the tournament’s overall competitiveness.
