Major Setback! India’s Star Pacer Ruled Out of Duleep Trophy

India have suffered a major setback as one of their Test heroes from the England series has been out of the upcoming Duleep Trophy. The fast bowler had played a major role in India's heroic performance in England, which resulted in series being levelled in the end.

In a major setback, Akash Deep has been ruled out of Duleep Trophy and will not play for East Zone in the tournament which is set to begin on August 28 in Bengaluru. It is a major blow for East Zone as they were relying on Akash to lead their pace attack. His replacement for Duleep Trophy has also been announced.

Akash Deep Duleep Trophy Replacement Announced

According to reports, Akash Deep has been ruled out of Duleep Trophy, but no official reason has been given yet. The right-arm pacer was originally part of the 15-member East Zone squad. He has now been replaced by Assam medium pacer Mukhtar Hussain, who has a decent record in first-class cricket.

Akash Deep was in top form during the recent Test series against England. He took a ten-wicket haul in the Birmingham Test and helped India won the match by 336 runs. He also scored a useful half-century as a nightwatchman in the Oval Test.

Akash Deep East Zone absence in the Duleep Trophy can be a major blow to the team. He would have bowled alongside senior pacers Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, and Suraj Jaiswal. His absence is a big blow for the East Zone. The team will now rely on Mukhtar Hussain to fill the gap. Mukhtar has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket for Assam.

The Duleep Trophy is one of India’s oldest domestic tournaments. It is played between zonal teams. Six teams will compete and the tournament will start the 2025-26 Indian domestic cricket calendar as East Zone will face North Zone in the quarter-final. The match will be played at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground in Bengaluru.

The winner will meet South Zone in the semi-final. The Duleep Trophy is an important platform for players. Good performances here can lead to India A or even India senior team selection. Many current Indian players have previously made their mark in this tournament.

Ishan Kishan to Lead East Zone

The East Zone squad will be led by Ishan Kishan, one of the best wicketkeepers in India at the moment. The squad was announced earlier this month at the JSCA International Stadium. Kishan missed several red-ball matches last season and was left out of the BCCI central contracts. However, he made a strong comeback in domestic cricket.

The Duleep Trophy gives him a chance to push for a return to India’s Test team. Abhimanyu Easwaran will be the vice-captain of the squad. Even though he did not get a chance to debut during the England Test series, he brings years of domestic experience. Easwaran will be an important part of the batting lineup.

The squad includes players from different states in the East Zone. Sandeep Pattnaik from Odisha, Virat Singh from Jharkhand, and Denish Das from Assam will feature in the batting order. Sridam Paul from Tripura and Sharandeep Singh from Jharkhand add depth to the team. Young keeper-batter Kumar Kushagra is also part of the squad.

All-rounder Riyan Parag, who is one of the best all-rounders in India, will give balance to the side. Utkarsh Singh and left-arm spinner Manishi from Jharkhand are also in the mix.
In the bowling department, Suraj Jaiswal and Mukesh Kumar from Bengal will handle pace duties with Shami and Mukhtar. Spin options include Utkarsh Singh and Manishi.

East Zone Squad for Duleep Trophy 2025

Ishan Kishan (C) (Jharkhand), Abhimanyu Easwaran (vc) (Bengal), Sandeep Pattnaik (Odisha), Virat Singh (Jharkhand), Denish Das (Assam), Sridam Paul (Tripura), Sharandeep Singh (Jharkhand), Kumar Kushagra (Jharkhand), Riyan Parag (Assam), Utkarsh Singh (Jharkhand), Manishi (Jharkhand), Suraj Jaiswal (Bengal), Mukesh Kumar (Bengal), Mukhtar Hussain (Assam), Mohammed Shami (Bengal).