Duleep Trophy 2024: Without key players, India A looks to beat odds and return to winning ways against India D

For India D, the transition has been much smoother. It had to let only Axar Patel go, and the like-for-like replacement in Nishant Sindhu meant its composition was not compromised.

File photo: Prasidh Krishna, who was injured for the first round, trained in the build up to the match and his inclusion will augment a pace attack looking to make up for the nine wickets taken by Akash. | Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K/The Hindu

India A, which flaunted its international experience during the first round, is now left having to plug the gaps after the exit of Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Akash Deep and Kuldeep Yadav for its second-round contest against India D at the Rural Trust Development Cricket Stadium in Anantapur starting Thursday.

The most glaring is the lack of an opening batter to accompany captain Mayank Agarwal. Railways veteran Pratham Singh is the only batter with significant experience in the top order, and might be India A’s sole option.

Hanging onto his India hopes by a thread, Mayank’s early confrontation against Arshdeep Singh could bear great consequences on his contention. The opener was dismissed by another left-armer, Yash Dayal, in the first match. In Tests, Mayank has been removed seven times in 19 innings by a left-arm pacer.

Between Riyan Parag, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, incoming Akshay Wadkar and Kumar Kushagra, India A will have to put its middle order in place.

One of Wadkar, who led Vidarbha to the Ranji Trophy final last season, or Kushagra, will take the wicketkeeper spot vacated by Jurel.

Keeping in mind Manav Suthar’s exploits, India D’s wrecker-in-chief in the first round, left-arm orthodox Shams Mulani’s inclusion will be a no-brainer for India A.

His Mumbai teammate Tanush Kotian will complete the spin attack and provide lower-order batting reinforcements that the side was in dire need of in its loss against India B.

Prasidh Krishna, who was injured for the first round, trained in the build up to the match and his inclusion will augment a pace attack looking to make up for the nine wickets taken by Akash.

Krishna missing the cut may make room for 20-year-old Aaqib Khan of Uttar Pradesh.

For India D, the transition into the second round has been much smoother which it would want to use to turn its fortunes.

The side had to give the services of only Axar Patel, and the like-for-like replacement in Nishant Sindhu meant India D’s composition was not compromised.

It might make for a confusing turnaround for Vidwath Kaverappa, who could be pitted against the very side he was a part of earlier in this tournament.

He replaced an injured Krishna in the previous match, and now steps into India D in place of Tushar Deshpande.

Arshdeep and Harshit Rana remain front-runners to lead the pace attack, and the only opening for Kaverappa, if at all the side decides to shuffle its bowling ranks, could be in place of Aditya Thakare.

Meagre returns from the opening salvo of Atharva Taide and Yash Dubey could prompt India D to welcome Sanju Samson into the top order. But this is likely to be the only change in its batting line-up.

A slew of left-handers in the India A batting lineup could result in off-spinner Saransh Jain retaining his place over Saurabh Kumar.