Duleep Trophy: Jaiswal, Ruturaj in West Zone squad; Priyank Panchal named captain

Duleep Trophy 2023: West Zone, the defending champion, will open its campaign directly in the semifinal from July 5 against the winners of the Central versus East Zone quarterfinal at Alur.

Yashasvi Jaiswal was named in the West Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy 2023 season. | Photo Credit: PERIASAMY M

Priyank Panchal has been appointed the West Zone captain for the Duleep Trophy, to be played in Bengaluru from June 28 to July 16.

The squad includes five openers, including three India fringe openers.

Sportstar understands that the West Zone selection committee, consisting of selection committee chiefs of all the five teams in the West Zone jurisdiction, was informed to not consider Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Jaydev Unadkat and Suryakumar Yadav - all of whom are set to be in India’s tour of West Indies that clashes with the tournament.

As a result, besides Panchal, the squad also includes prolific openers Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harvik Desai and Prithvi Shaw. Thanks to his consistent performance with the willow in successive Ranji seasons, Saurashtra captain Arpit Vasavada has found a place in the squad.

While Atit Sheth (Baroda) and Shams Mulani (Mulani) are the designated all-rounders, the squad also has two left-arm pacers in Saurashtra’s Chetan Sakariya and Gujarat’s Arzan Nagwaswalla.

Meanwhile, barring the final, the first four games of the inter-zonal First Class championship will be four-day games. The summit clash will be a five-day affair.

West Zone squad for Duleep Trophy 2023: Priyank Panchal (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harvik Desai (wicketkeeper), Prithvi Shaw, Het Patel (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Khan, Arpit Vasavada, Atit Seth, Shams Mulani, Yuvraj Dodiya, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, Chetan Sakariya, Chintan Gaja, Arzan Nagwaswalla