Overview

• An email from BCCI GM Abey Kuruvilla instructed state and zonal convenors to select all currently available India players for the Duleep Trophy.
• South Zone’s previously announced squad, named on July 27 with Tilak Varma as captain, omitted KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna and Sai Sudharsan.
• BCCI reiterated that contracted players must participate in domestic tournaments unless they obtain prior clearance from the national coach, the selection chief and the board.
• The tournament begins on August 28 in Bengaluru, and it remains unclear whether South Zone will revise its squad as other Test players such as Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh and Shreyas Iyer are set to feature.
• The omitted India players are on a scheduled post-England break and were not selected for Asia Cup 2025, while some zonal selectors argue that automatic inclusion of national stars limits opportunities for Ranji performers.