The North Zone cricket team has suffered a significant setback as their captain, Shubman Gill, is likely to miss the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2025 tournament. The Duleep Trophy is set to begin on August 28 in Bengaluru. Gill, who recently led India to a commendable 2-2 draw in the Test series against England, was appointed captain of the North Zone team.
Reports indicate that Gill's absence is due to illness. Medical examinations and blood tests conducted by the BCCI medical team have led to the assessment that he is currently unfit to participate. He is currently resting at his home in Chandigarh.
Gill's unavailability is a blow to the North Zone team, as he was expected to lead the side and contribute significantly with his batting prowess. He had a successful Test series in England, scoring 754 runs at an average of 75.40.
Despite being selected for the Asia Cup 2025, which commences on September 9, Gill was expected to play at least one match in the Duleep Trophy. However, his illness has now ruled him out of the entire tournament.
In light of Gill's likely absence, Ankit Kumar, the vice-captain of the North Zone team, is expected to take over the leadership duties. The selectors have already named Shubham Rohilla as Gill's replacement in the squad.
The North Zone team is scheduled to begin their Duleep Trophy campaign against East Zone at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.
The Duleep Trophy 2025 will be played in its traditional zonal format, with six teams participating: North Zone, South Zone, East Zone, West Zone, Central Zone, and North East Zone. The tournament will consist of knockout games, including two quarter-finals, two semi-finals, and a final.
The North Zone squad includes players such as Yash Dhull, Ankit Kalsi, Sahil Lotra, Shubham Khajuria, Ayush Badoni and bowlers like Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.
Shubman Gill's absence from the Duleep Trophy is undoubtedly a setback for the North Zone team. However, the team possesses enough talent and experience to put up a strong showing in the tournament. Ankit Kumar's leadership and the inclusion of Shubham Rohilla will provide stability and strengthen the team's batting department.
