Duleep Trophy 2024: Five key batters to watch out for ahead of upcoming domestic season

Here are five batters to watch out for ahead of the 2024 edition of the Duleep Trophy, which is set to be played from September 5 to 22.

FILE PHOTO: Ishan Kishan will have a big point to prove ahead of India’s home Test season. | Photo Credit: ANI

The 2024-25 senior men’s domestic season in India will begin with the Duleep Trophy, set to be played from September 5 to September 22, with a number of international players likely to participate.

This season, the Duleep Trophy will be played in a revamped format, with India A, India B, India C, and India D teams featuring in a round-robin tournament with no knockout games.

The tournament will be an opportunity for many cricketers to stake a claim for a spot in the Indian Test team ahead of the domestic series against Bangladesh and New Zealand.

Here are five batters to watch out for ahead of the 2024 edition of the Duleep Trophy:

Riyan Parag

Consistent performances in the domestic circuit over the last couple of years and a breakthrough season with the bat in the Indian Premier League (IPL) allowed Parag to break into the Indian limited-overs setup. After a T20I debut during the series against Zimbabwe earlier this season, Parag made a lone ODI appearance on the tour of Sri Lanka.

FILE PHOTO: Riyan Parag of Assam celebrates his century against Kerala in a Ranji Trophy match at the ACA stadium Barsapara in Guwahati. | Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR/The Hindu

The next step for the 22-year-old from Assam will be to churn out the runs in domestic red-ball cricket. He currently has a First-Class average of 36.69 in 29 matches with three centuries and 11 fifties. If Parag manages to contribute with the ball as well, akin to his exploits in Sri Lanka, a call-up might be on the cards ahead of the home season.

Devdutt Padikkal

After a stupendous 2023-24 domestic season, Padikkal made his Test debut during the fifth Test against England in Dharamsala, scoring a half-century in his maiden innings.

FILE PHOTO: India’s batsman Devdutt Padikkal plays a shot during the second day of the final test match against England at the HPCA Ground in Dharamshala. | Photo Credit: MOORTHY RV/ The Hindu

A lean IPL 2024 season followed, with Padikkal managing only 78 runs in seven innings with a highest score of 13. The Duleep Trophy will be the first chance for Padikkal to bounce back from the rut and stake a claim for a middle-order spot for the series against Bangladesh.

Musheer Khan

Despite playing just six First-Class matches in his fledgling career, Musheer is one of the most exciting prospects to look out for in the domestic circuit. The middle-order batter scored a double-hundred against Baroda in the Ranji Trophy last season, following it up with a fifty against Tamil Nadu and another century against Vidarbha.

Mumbai’s Musheer Khan in action during Mumbai Vs Vidarbha Ranji Trophy Final match at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI/ The Hindu

The 19-year-old also rolled his arm over in the red-ball tournament, picking up seven wickets, including two in the final against Vidarbha, to help Mumbai seal a 42nd Ranji Trophy title.

Sai Sudharsan

The latest batting talent to come out of the stables of Tamil Nadu cricket, Sudharsan has batted his way into India colours, making his debut on the tour of South Africa. After scoring two fifties in his maiden series, the southpaw aggregated 527 runs in IPL 2024 for Gujarat Titans, including a century against Chennai Super Kings.

Tamil Nadu’s Sai Sudharsan in action during 2nd day of Ranji Trophy match between Gujarat and Tamil Nadu in Valsad. | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI/ The Hindu

While his List A and domestic T20 number are staggering, Sudharsan still has a point to prove in the red-ball game with an average of 36.90 in 18 matches. The 22-year-old will hope to score big in the Duleep Trophy to be in the reckoning for a spot in the national team.

Ishan Kishan

The player with probably the biggest point to prove among the others on this list, Kishan will be playing his first First-Class match since the second Test against West Indies in Port of Spain in 2023.

FILE PHOTO: India’s Ishan Kishan plays a shot. | Photo Credit: AP

The emergence of Dhruv Jurel and the return of Rishabh Pant from a long layoff mean the wicketkeeper’s spot in the Indian Test team has intense competition. KL Rahul has donned the gloves in Test matches abroad and a good showing at the 2023 ODI World Cup at home puts him in contention too.

Kishan will be looking to contribute with the bat and show his mettle behind the stumps in order to enter the conversation for national team selection.