Duleep Trophy: Tushar Deshpande replaces injured Sakariya in West Zone squad

Sakariya suffered an elbow injury while training at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru recently.

FILE PHOTO: Mumbai’s Tushar Deshpande in action during the Ranji Trophy game between Mumbai and Tamil Nadu at the CCI in Mumbai. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI/ The Hindu

Tushar Deshpande has replaced an injured Chetan Sakariya in the West Zone squad for its Duleep Trophy semifinals fixture against Central Zone, beginning on July 5.

With Sakariya suffering an elbow injury while training at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru recently, the selectors have called up Mumbai’s Deshpande as his suitable substitute.

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Deshpande, who has been one of Mumbai’s key bowlers in the previous domestic season, also played a crucial role as the frontline pacer for the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League recently.

As Deepak Chahar missed out on a large part of the tournament due to injury, Deshpande spearheaded the CSK bowling attack and provided the team with breakthroughs at crucial junctures.

Over the last few domestic seasons, he has been Mumbai’s fast-bowling mainstay, and now with backing from none other than Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Deshpande was able to replicate his Mumbai success story at CSK, and emerged as the franchise’s leading wicket-taker with 21 scalps. 

In the 29 first-class outings so far, Deshpande has claimed claimed 80 wickets.