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

Here are five bowlers 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: Tamil Nadu’s skipper R. Sai Kishore in action during the Ranji Trophy. | Photo Credit: PERIASAMY M/ The Hindu

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.

With a home Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand fast approaching, the Duleep trophy could be a platform for pacers and spinners alike to try and find a berth in the Indian squad.

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

Arshdeep Singh

Since making his limited-overs debut for India in 2022, Arshdeep has played over 50 T20Is, picking up 83 wickets at an economy rate of 8.37. The left-armer played a crucial role in India’s victorious T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, picking up 17 wickets.

FILE PHOTO: Punjab’s Arshdeep Singh during a practice session. | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR/ The Hindu

With Mohammed Shami recuperating from injury and the workload of multi-format bowlers, particularly those of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, being closely monitored, a good performance in the Duleep Trophy might prompt the selectors to give Arshdeep a go with the red ball for India.

R. Sai Kishore

Sai Kishore captained Tamil Nadu to the semifinal of the 2024 Ranji Trophy, ending up as the top wicket-taker of the tournament with 53 scalps to his name. Kishore has also improved his batting exponentially, providing excellent lower-order resistance to the Tamil Nadu team.

FILE PHOTO: Tamil Nadu’s Sai Kishore in action. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI/ The Hindu

With India already having Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel in its ranks, securing a spot in the squad for a left-arm spinner would be difficult. A continuation of his bowling prowess in the Duleep Trophy will only cement his case if a spot opens up due to injury.

Avesh Khan

Avesh Khan’s red-ball credentials rose to prominence when he picked up 35 wickets at an average of 16.37 for Madhya Pradesh in 2018-19. He has since made his debut for the nation in the shorter formats, picking up 34 wickets in 31 international matches.

FILE PHOTO: Madhya Pradesh bowler Avesh Khan celebrates. | Photo Credit: PTI

In First-Class cricket, he has picked 165 wickets at an average of 22.49 including two 10-wicket match hauls. The Duleep Trophy might be the stage for him to knock down that selection door.

Akash Deep

Akash Deep had a bright start to his Test career against England at Ranchi, skittling out the English top-order on his way to a three-fer in the first innings. The Test debut came after picking up wickets at the domestic level and on the ‘A’ tours to South Africa and England.

FILE PHOTO: Bengal’s bowler Akash Deep in action. | Photo Credit: V RAJU/ The Hindu

His white-ball exploits for Bengal earned him an Indian Premier League deal but the Royal Challengers Bengaluru pacer has impressed with the red ball too, picking up 107 wickets in 31 matches at an average of 23.70.

Washington Sundar

Washington has been touted for long as the successor to R. Ashwin as India’s premier off-spinner at the highest level. But a spate of injuries and lack of rhythm have meant opportunities have come few and far between.

FILE PHOTO: India’s Washington Sundar bowls on day four of the fourth cricket Test match between Australia and India at The Gabba in Brisbane. | Photo Credit: AFP

The 24-year-old has played four Tests for the country, the last of which came in 2021 against England, where he scored an unbeaten 96. He is yet to showcase his talent with the red ball in hand for India and Tamil Nadu. The offie will be hoping to carry the rhythm from positive showings against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka to the Duleep Trophy.