The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced changes to the squads for the first round of the 2024-25 Duleep Trophy on Tuesday. The Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was released from Team B, while fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Umran Malik were ruled out due to illness.
The Duleep Trophy, set to begin on September 5, will feature several India regulars and emerging players. This tournament is crucial for the BCCI’s selection committee as they prepare to pick the squad for India’s upcoming Test series against Bangladesh (two matches in September), New Zealand (three matches in October) and Australia (five matches in December).
Ravindra Jadeja was initially included in the squad for the Duleep Trophy, marking the start of India’s domestic red-ball season. However, the BCCI released him from the squad for the opening round without providing a reason and did not name a replacement.
On the other hand, Siraj and Malik were excluded from the first round due to illness. The BCCI expects both the pacers to recover in time for the remaining matches, scheduled to run until September 24. The selectors have appointed Navdeep Saini as Siraj’s replacement in Team B, while Gaurav Yadav will take Malik’s place in Team C.
