According to TOI, Central Zone skipper Dhruv Jurel has been ruled out of the opening round of the Duleep Trophy due to a groin niggle he picked up on the eve of the match.
The selectors advised Dhruv Jurel to skip the game as he is also on standby for the Asia Cup squad and they do not want to take any risks.
“Jurel has picked up a groin niggle on the eve of the match and he has been asked to skip this match by the selectors,” a BCCI source told TOI.
With four home Test matches lined up after the Asia Cup and uncertainty still surrounding Pant’s recovery, the board feels Jurel must remain fully fit. In his absence, Rajat Patidar has taken charge of Central Zone.
“He is also in the standbys of the Asia Cup squad and the selectors don’t want to take any risk. Right after the Asia Cup, India will be playing four Test matches at home and with uncertainty over (Rishabh) Pant’s injury, Jurel has been asked not to take any risk,” he added.
Central Zone: Aayush Pandey, Danish Malewar, Rajat Patidar(c), Aryan Juyal(w), Yash Rathod, Shubham Sharma, Harsh Dubey, Kuldeep Yadav, Deepak Chahar, Aditya Thakare, Khaleel Ahmed.
North East Zone: Karnajit Yumnam, Techi Doria, Hem Chetri, Rongsen Jonathan(c), Ashish Thapa, Jehu Anderson(w), Ankur Malik, Palzor Tamang, Bishworjit Konthoujam, Akash Choudhary, Pheiroijam Jotin.
Rajat Patidar’s performance in the 2025-26 domestic season could be crucial for him, as his last appearance for India came in 2024 during the home Test series against England. He managed only 63 runs in six innings and was dropped after that. To make a comeback, Patidar will need to deliver standout performances this season, as the competition for a place in the squad is extremely tough and he is currently behind in the pecking order. Even though he captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the IPL 2025 title, he still could not break into the Asia Cup squad due to the fierce competition. This season is vital for him to stake a claim in both red-ball and white-ball cricket.
As for Dhruv Jurel, he was part of the India squad during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy and played the final Test of the series after Rishabh Pant was ruled out with injury. He scored 19 and 34 in that match. Jurel will be an important player in the upcoming home Test season, and with him being in the Asia Cup standbys, he continues to stay around the national setup.
