Duleep Trophy review: Dress rehearsal for Test hopefuls as India targets flexibility in roles, continuity in selections

The traditional zonal format of Duleep Trophy once offered bragging rights, but this year’s shift to a mixed pool system kept the focus on individual performances.

Crowning moment: India A players celebrate after winning Duleep Trophy 2024. India A beat India C by 132 runs. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The 2024 Duleep Trophy appeared to be heading for a predictable conclusion. Still, a last-minute twist saw Mayank Agarwal’s India A claim the title by taking seven wickets in the final session to defeat India C.

India C needed 350 to win but a solitary point, which would be assured with a draw, was what it was really after. Sai Sudharsan and Ishan Kishan had guided India C through to tea and were on track to see the game out. However, India A’s bowling attack dramatically changed the course of the match, securing a remarkable victory. India A also benefitted from India D’s earlier win against India B, eliminating the latter from contention in a three-horse race.

In recent seasons, the Duleep Trophy has been reduced to a mere selection tournament for the Indian team. The constant format changes have diminished the significance of winning the trophy. The traditional zonal format once offered bragging rights, but this year’s shift to a mixed pool system kept the focus on individual performances.

Moreover, the teams were altered repeatedly, with players being added and removed at will. Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav, initially excluded due to injuries, were drafted back into their respective sides for the later rounds at the last moment, without any official announcement.

The thrilling finale was a reminder that the Duleep Trophy still holds relevance, especially ahead of the upcoming domestic season. It showcased the excitement that First-Class cricket can produce — something the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is keen to revive as part of its effort to restore the longer format’s prestige. The passionate crowds, present at every game in Anantapur, added to the spectacle and highlighted the appeal of hosting domestic cricket in smaller towns.

The unexpected climax was even more surprising considering that a roster of star players, including Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul, had been disbanded after the first match to join the Bangladesh Test series.

Their departure provided an opportunity for seasoned First-Class players to catch the selectors’ attention.

Making a return: Ishan Kishan, featuring for India C, smashed a 126-ball 111 on his comeback to red-ball cricket since making his Test debut last July. | Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

Abhimanyu Easwaran, still awaiting a consistent run in the Indian team, showcased his talent with two centuries — one of which was an unbeaten knock for India B against India C in the second round. However, despite scoring 309 runs, Easwaran was only the second-highest run-scorer, surpassed by Ricky Bhui, a veteran of domestic cricket. Bhui, representing India D, amassed 359 runs in six innings, including two centuries.

Even now, the best these players can hope for is a call-up for an ‘A’ tour to Australia later this year, as overtaking Sarfaraz Khan, Devdutt Padikkal, and Sudharsan in the pecking order seems unlikely.

New names also rose to the occasion. One such player was Baroda’s Shashwat Rawat, who was part of the victorious India A team. Rawat scored three fifty-plus innings in four outings, including a crucial 124 in the final round that helped India A tighten its grip on India C. This performance followed his 784-run tally in the Ranji Trophy last season and proved he could compete at the highest levels.

“This is the first time I’ve made it to this stage. It validated my efforts in last season’s Ranji Trophy, where I scored four hundreds in eight games, including a double century. I had a feeling I might be selected, so I was prepared,” said Rawat.

His teammate, 20-year-old Aaqib Khan, who replaced Akash Deep for the last two games, impressed with his seam bowling, taking eight wickets in four innings. He particularly cherished dismissing India D’s Sanju Samson, forcing him into a mistimed pull shot with extra pace and bounce.

“It’s a big deal for me. I’m still a junior; I made my debut recently. I faced Samson in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last year, so to take his wicket is a huge achievement. It’s an honour. The plan was formed on the ground — Mayank [Agarwal] bhaiyaa said I could try a bouncer if I wanted to since Samson was new at the crease,” Aaqib explained.

Standout performer: India C’s Anshul Kamboj was a standout performer in this year’s Duleep Trophy, claiming 16 wickets, including a remarkable eight-wicket haul. | Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

Other notable performers included Anshul Kamboj, the tournament’s highest wicket-taker, Manav Suthar and Shams Mulani. These players have strengthened their cases for a place in the Rest of India squad for the upcoming Irani Trophy.

This edition of the Duleep Trophy also tested India’s bench strength, particularly with a five-match series in Australia looming. The Anantapur wickets offered assistance to pacers, who were under scrutiny.

During the last tour of Australia in 2021, as many as six fast bowlers were part of the squad at one point. Akash’s nine-wicket haul in the first round earned him a spot in the squad for the first Bangladesh Test, positioning him as the first backup to the pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami. However, the selectors will have even more options after strong showings from Mukesh Kumar (16 wickets), Navdeep Saini (15 wickets), and Arshdeep Singh (13 wickets). The return of Avesh Khan and Prasidh Krishna from injury has further bolstered India’s pace options for the big tour.

Some of these pacers might even get an earlier opportunity, with the upcoming three-match Test series against New Zealand.

For the batters in Anantapur, the tournament yielded mixed results. Shreyas Iyer scored 154 runs in six innings but was let down by his attacking instincts on several occasions. Suryakumar Yadav, who returned to red-ball cricket in 2022/23 after nearly three seasons, managed only eight runs in his sole Test innings against Australia in 2023. Still hopeful for a comeback, Suryakumar participated in the final round, scoring 5 and 16 runs, yet showed little inclination to restrain his natural, aggressive style.

In contrast, Kishan and Samson struck centuries, making positive strides. A strong showing in the Ranji Trophy could pave the way for Kishan’s return to the top tier of Indian cricket.

Meanwhile, solid performances from Sudharsan and Padikkal should help alleviate concerns about India’s batting transition, expected to begin after the 2025 World Test Championship final, when Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma could consider hanging up their boots from the longer format.