The 2024-25 senior men’s domestic season will begin with the Duleep Trophy, set to begin from September 5 to September 22, with several India international players set to participate.
This season, the Duleep Trophy will be played in a revamped avatar, with India A, India B, India C, and India D teams featuring in a round-robin format and no knockout games.
The tournament will be an opportunity for many to stake a claim for a spot in the Indian squad for the upcoming home Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand.
While there are several young faces looking for a breakthrough, the non-selection of a few individuals could be a hint of where their future lies in the whites for India.
Here are five players who may not play for India in the future:
Cheteshwar Pujara
The veteran batter last played for India in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final and hasn’t been picked in the Test squad since. While the 36-year-old featured for his domestic team Saurashtra in the last Ranji Trophy season - while also playing for Sussex in the County Championship in England - Pujara wasn’t picked in any of the Duleep Trophy squads this year. Going by the abundance of young middle-order batters waiting in the wings, Pujara is unlikely to feature for India in the whites again.
Pujara last featured in a Test match for India during the WTC 2023 final. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU
Ajinkya Rahane
Like Pujara, Rahane too faces a similar situation. Rahane last played for India in West Indies in 2023 and hasn’t featured since. The 36-year-old was also part of his domestic team as captain and led Mumbai to a Ranji Trophy title last season. Though Rahane featured in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, his absence in any of the Duleep Trophy squads gives a hint of his future in Tests.
Ajinkya Rahane led Mumbai to the Ranji Trophy title in 2023-24. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU
Hanuma Vihari
Remembered for his heroic knock at the Gabba in 2021, Vihari hasn’t played a Test since the last two years. He last played in 2022 in England. Though the 30-year-old has been a regular for his domestic team, Andhra, Vihari hasn’t been able to have a big season with the bat to reclaim his spot in the Indian Test squad.
Hanuma Vihari hasn’t had a big season with the bat for Andhra, making it hard for selectors to get him back in the Indian squad. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU
Umesh Yadav
With a plethora of young fast bowlers coming up, Umesh has found himself out of the Indian side after the WTC final in 2023. Post his ouster, Umesh returned to domestic cricket to join his side, Vidarbha. Going by the number of quicks picked in the Duleep Trophy teams, the 36-year-old may not be able to convince the national selectors to give him another go.
Post his ouster from the Indian team, Umesh Yadav returned to domestic cricket to join his side, Vidarbha, in the 2023-24 season. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU
Jaydev Unadkat
Despite being a legend in domestic cricket for Saurashtra, Unadkat has always found it hard to convince selectors to pick him in the Indian squad. After making his Test debut in 2010, Unadkat only played his second long-format game after a gap of 12 years, in 2022. After playing three games, the left-arm pacer was once again left out from the squad. With the Duleep Trophy snub, the door to the national set-up may have closed for the 32-year-old.
Despite being a legend in domestic cricket for Saurashtra, Unadkat has always found it hard to convince selectors to pick him in the Indian squad. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU
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