Nagaland quartet earn North-East Zone call-up for Duleep Trophy
New Delhi, July 31
Nagaland's presence in the North-East Zone squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2026-27 received a major boost with Jonathan Rongsen, Imliwati Lemtur and Vino G. Zhimomi earning places in the team, while Hem Bahadur Chetri was named as a standby player.
The Nagaland Cricket Association (NCA) has also named Mowalong Kichu, who is the physiotherapist for the state's senior men's team, as physiotherapist for the North East Zone squad.
The Duleep Trophy will take place from 23 August to 10 September at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Another important development is that the Nagaland Cricket Association will run the North East Zone's pre-tournament preparatory camp from August 8th to 19th as the team prepares for one of India's top domestic first-class competitions.
Congratulating the selected players and support staff, the Nagaland Cricket Association said: "We would like to congratulate Jonathan Rongsen, Imliwati Lemtur, Vino G. Zhimomi, Hem Bahadur Chetri and Mowalong Kichu on their selection and appointment, and we are also giving our best wishes to the whole North East Zone squad for a successful campaign in the Duleep Trophy 2026-27."
The fact that three players from Nagaland have been chosen for the main squad shows that the state is making an ever-greater contribution to cricket in the North East, and Chetri's presence among the standby players also shows that more talent is increasingly coming from the area.
The preparatory camp in Nagaland should give the North East Zone squad valuable experience in matches before the tournament, during which the area's best players will hope to make a strong impression on the national stage.
The 15-member squad includes Techi Neri, Robin Limboo, Ashish Thapa, Bishworjit Singh Konthoujam, Priyojit K, Ronald Meitei, Jotin Singh Pheiroijam, Imliwati Lemtur, Vino G. Zhimomi, Jonathan Rongsen, Kishan Lyndoh, Arpit Subhas, Akash Kumar Choudhary, Joseph Lal Thankhuma, and Lalrempuia
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is genuinely inspiring! The North East has so much untapped talent, and it's good that the cricket board is giving these players a platform. The preparatory camp in Nagaland is a smart move - playing at home conditions will boost their confidence.
Nice to see Jonathan Rongsen getting recognition - he has been performing consistently in domestic cricket. But the Duleep Trophy is a big step up from state-level cricket. Hopefully, the team management gives them enough match practice during the camp.
Good development for Indian cricket. The more states contribute to the domestic pool, the deeper the talent bench becomes. Hope these players make the most of this opportunity.
Happy for Nagaland cricket! The fact that Chetri is a standby player also shows there's depth. But I hope the selectors are fair and give these players enough games, not just pick them for namesake. The Northeast needs consistent opportunities, not just token representation.
Cricket in India is truly becoming pan-Indian. From Nagaland to Tamil Nadu, talent is everywhere. This is what a country of 140 crore people should look like. Best wishes to all the Northeast players for the Duleep Trophy! 🙏
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