Fresh off his first stint as Team India's Test captain, which ended in a 2-2 draw against England, a new leadership role awaits Shubman Gill. India's Test captain is all set to captain the North Zone team in the upcoming Duleep Trophy, with the tournament scheduled to begin on August 28 in Bengaluru. The North Zone squad was officially announced on Thursday, August 7, confirming Gill's new responsibility.
Shubman Gill to lead North Zone in Duleep Trophy
The squad includes several familiar names alongside Gill, such as Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Ayush Badoni, and Anshul Kamboj. Recognizing India's packed schedule, the selectors also named replacements for players who may be called up for international duty. Shubham Rohilla will take over for Gill, while Gurnoor Brar and Anuj Thakral will replace Arshdeep and Harshit, respectively. To ensure depth, the selectors also named seven standby players, making for a robust squad.
Among the notable selections are Ayush Badoni, Yudhvir Singh Charak, and Yash Dhull. Anshul Kamboj, who recently played in the Test series against England but was dropped after one match, has been included as well. The Duleep Trophy presents a valuable opportunity for Kamboj to regain form and make a case for his inclusion in the squad for the upcoming home season.
In a historic first, five players from Jammu & Kashmir have been selected for the North Zone squad: pacers Auqib Nabi and Yudhvir Singh, batter Shubham Khajuria, spinner Sahil Lotra, and wicket-keeper Kanhaiya Wadhwan.
Talking about Gill's first assignment as India's captain in the England tour, he was a force to be reckoned with. Not just he led Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli-less team from the front, but also roared with the bat in the five-match action-packed contest. He finished the series as the top run-scorer, amassing 754 runs in 10 innings at an average of 75 riding on three centuries and a double ton. This impressive performance boosted his career average to over 40, a notable jump from his mid-40s average before the tour. This upcoming Duleep Trophy stint is expected to further prepare him for future challenges.
North Zone's squad for Duleep Trophy:
Shubman Gill, Shubham Khajuria, Ankit Kumar, Ayush Badoni, Yash Dhull, Ankit Kalsi, Nishant Sindhu, Sahil Lotra, Mayank Dagar, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Auqib Nabi, Kanhaiya Wadhawan