Keeping in mind the gruelling home season ahead, India’s Test skipper Virat Kohli has reportedly asked for rest and is likely to miss the pink ball Duleep Trophy final, scheduled to be held under lights from September 10-14.
Kohli is just coming off a long four-match > Test series in the West Indies , which was followed by two T20 Internationals in the US, and the board believes that the batting mainstay should be given rest to prepare himself for the upcoming assignment against New Zealand. Initially, the plan was to make Kohli and other senior players play the final, and get their reactions on the pink ball initiative.
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Besides Kohli, seam bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma could also be rested for the game, according to reports.
Still, the match could see some of the big stars such as Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra turning up at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Stadium. The tournament acquired importance since it is being played with a pink ball and inputs from leading cricketers will help BCCI to decide if day-night Test cricket in India is the way forward.
Over the years, Duleep Trophy has served as an excellent testing ground for fresh talent before fading into obscurity. BCCI replaced the zonal set-up for Duleep Trophy this year with a Challenger-style three-team format.
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