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Follow UsThe Duleep Trophy 2024-25 gives an opportunity for many players to impress and potentially stake claim for a place in the national side as well. While non-selection of a few could mean the end of the road as far as their India aspiration go, it opens up doors for the others.
Avesh Khan
It seems like just a matter of time before we see Avesh Khan in whites. The pacer was Madhya Pradesh’s highest wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy 2022-23 with 28 scalps at 20.13. It brought him into the national reckoning for the longest format. Avesh's big moment nearly came when he was picked as Mohammed Shami’s replacement in 2023 for the second Test against South Africa. This was a reward for his five-wicket haul against the Proteas A side.
Moreover, the 27-year-old was also picked for the home series against England but is yet to make his debut in Tests. Avesh has improved with each passing year in white-ball cricket for India and his first-class record – 165 wickets at 22.49 in 43 matches – has only added to his credentials. A good show in the Duleep Trophy could push the selectors in giving him a go? A debut against Bangladesh, maybe?
Washington Sundar
Before he made his debut in the historic Test at the Gabba, Washington Sundar had not played first-class cricket for over three years. Yet, he showed he belonged with four wickets and vital scores 62 and 22 with the bat as India went on to win a Test in Brisbane for the first time. He might have played just three Tests since, but his role in each of them has been engaging.
With Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the team and Kuldeep Yadav as the third spinner, chances for Sundar have been limited. While his impressive performances of late in white-ball cricket could see him get plenty of chances, especially in T20I cricket, but as far as Tests go, he may not slot into the team right away. The 24-year-old though may make this Duleep Trophy a case in point by performing well amongst the international stars.
Shreyas Iyer
When Shreyas Iyer scored a century on Test debut against New Zealand in 2021, there was little doubt that he could be a long-term option for India in the middle-order. Recurring back injuries have kept the Mumbaikar in and out of the Indian team, but more recently, he bounced back by leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the title in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
The years 2021 and 2022 were excellent for Iyer in first-class cricket as he averaged 50.5 and 58.89 respectively. He forced himself into Test contention. But with an average of 13.17 in 2023 and 29 so far this year, Iyer has to prove himself once again in the domestic circuit, and the Duleep Trophy comes just at the right time for him.
Rajat Patidar
After consistent performances for Madhya Pradesh in the domestic circuit, Rajat Patidar finally got his due when he made his debut against England in Visakhapatnam earlier this year. While he looked solid in a couple of innings, the urgency to gift his wickets away did not sit well with the fans and selectors. The 31-year-old would certainly want to play more red-ball cricket for India and the upcoming Duleep Trophy might give him a way back to the side.
There is no doubt over his credentials or hunger for runs. In MP’s Ranji Trophy winning campaign of 2021-22, Patidar finished as the second-highest run-getter with 658 runs at 82.25 in nine innings. While MP crashed out at the semi-final stage in the following season, Patidar was once again among the runs with 565 runs at 47.08. What sealed the deal was a superb 151 against the England Lions, which was good enough for India to hand him his debut cap.
Arshdeep Singh
Another uncapped pacer on this list is Arshdeep Singh. Leading wicket-taker in India's T20 World Cup 2024 triumph, Arshdeep is considered to be a top bowler in the shortest format. However, the lack of experience in first-class cricket has mostly gone against him. To put things into perspective, Arshdeep has played just nine Ranji Trophy matches for Punjab (32 wickets @ 25.90) since his debut in 2019. If he is serious about playing Test cricket for India, he needs to play more, even though he has gained some experience of playing for India A and for Kent in the County Championship.
"As a player, you want to give your 100 percent no matter what format. This is my thinking, too. I would give my best if given a chance," Arshdeep said of his Test aspirations.
In a team consisting of pacers Harshit Rana and Tushar Deshpande, Arshdeep will look to impress in the Duleep Trophy to rekindle his hopes of playing all three formats for the country.
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