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Key Points

Ruturaj Gaikwad has begun training for the upcoming Duleep Trophy, where he will represent West Zone. The squad includes big names like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer, with Shardul Thakur leading the side. The tournament marks the return of the traditional zonal format after last year's experimental structure. Fans are eager to see Gaikwad regain form after a tough IPL season.

Key Points: Ruturaj Gaikwad Prepares for Duleep Trophy With West Zone Squad

  • Gaikwad aims to bounce back after an inconsistent IPL 2025
  • West Zone features star batters like Jaiswal and Iyer
  • Shardul Thakur to lead despite limited captaincy experience
  • Duleep Trophy returns to zonal format after experimental season
2 min read

Ruturaj Gaikwad gears up for upcoming Duleep Trophy season with West Zone

CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad gears up for Duleep Trophy alongside stars like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer in West Zone.

"The tournament will revert to its zonal format, with six teams competing. – Wisden"

New Delhi, August 9

India batter and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad on Saturday started practising for the upcoming 2025-26 Duleep Trophy, where he will be seen playing for the West Zone team.

In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, an injury put an end to Gaikwad's season, as he made 122 runs in five matches, averaging 24.40, with two half-centuries. Not only was Gaikwad inconsistent, but he could win only one out of five matches during the season.

Other than Gaikwad, there are some more Indian international stars like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, and Sarfaraz Khan who are part of the West Zone squad. Shardul, who has been named the captain, has never led in the first-class format, but captained Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in December 2024, a one-day tournament.

The competition, to be held from August 28 to September 15, will mark the start of the Indian domestic season 2025-26. Last year, the tournament shifted from its usual zonal format to having four different Indian squads, A, B, C and D, selected by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

International names like Axar Patel, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav were among the players who took part in the tournament. This year, the tournament will revert to its zonal format, with six teams playing: North, South, East, West, Central and North East, picked by the selectors of the Ranji teams in each zone, as per Wisden.

West Zone Duleep Trophy squad:

-Batters: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Sarfaraz Khan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Aarya Desai, Manan Hingrajia.

-Wicketkeepers: Harvik Desai, Saurabh Nawale.

-All-rounders: Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Jaymeet Patel, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja.

-Bowlers: Shardul Thakur (c), Tushar Deshpande, Arzan Nagwaswalla.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

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Shreya B
West Zone looking strong with Jaiswal, Iyer and Gaikwad in batting! But why is Shardul captain when he has no first-class captaincy experience? BCCI should have given it to someone more experienced like Shreyas Iyer.
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Aman W
Good to see domestic cricket getting importance again with zonal format returning. These tournaments are the backbone of Indian cricket. Hope broadcasters give proper coverage this time 🤞
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Priyanka N
Excited to see Sarfaraz Khan play! He's been scoring tons in domestic cricket but still not getting consistent chances in Indian team. Hope he smashes big runs here and forces selectors to notice him again!
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Varun X
Honestly, Gaikwad's technique against short balls worries me. If he wants to cement his place in Test team, he needs to work on this weakness. Domestic tournaments are where he should be addressing these issues.
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Nisha Z
West Zone's batting lineup is fire 🔥 But bowling looks a bit weak apart from Shardul. Where are the quality spinners? Mumbai's Mulani is good but we need more options for longer format cricket.

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