Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed his opinion that star players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah should have been included in the first round of the Duleep Trophy. The tournament, which marks the beginning of India’s domestic season, will commence on September 5 in Bengaluru and Anantapur.
Manjrekar’s suggestion stems from the fact that these players have had ample rest in recent times. He pointed out that Rohit Sharma has played only 59% of India’s 249 international matches in the last five years, while Virat Kohli has played 61% and Jasprit Bumrah has played only 34%.
“I see them as well-rested India players. Could have been selected for the Duleep trophy,” Manjrekar said on ‘X’.
The BCCI has announced that Ravindra Jadeja has been released from participation in the Duleep Trophy without providing a reason. Additionally, Mohammed Siraj and Umran Malik will not feature as they are recovering from recent illness. Navdeep Saini and Gaurav Yadav have been named as replacements.
The Duleep Trophy is crucial in identifying key players for India’s packed Test calendar and their readiness for the World Test Championship final. India’s home season will commence with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting on September 19 in Chennai, followed by a second game in Kanpur beginning on September 27. Following this series, India will play three Test matches against New Zealand in Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai. Subsequently, the team will travel to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which begins on November 22 in Perth.
