Shubman Gill to lead North Zone in Duleep Trophy after England show; selectors keep door open for Asia Cup selection

Following his stellar performance as India’s Test captain in his maiden assignment during the tour of England, where the visitors secured a thrilling 2-2 draw in the five-match series, Shubman Gill has been named captain of the North Zone squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy, beginning August 28. Shubman Gill led the Indian team to a 2-2 series draw in five-match Test series against England.(PTI)

Gill took over the Test captaincy after Rohit Sharma's retirement in May this year. Despite initial apprehensions over the BCCI’s decision, he vindicated the move by scoring 754 runs in 10 innings – the second-highest by an Indian in a single Test series after Sunil Gavaskar’s 774 in the 1971 West Indies tour, and the most ever by an Indian captain in one series. His performance helped India draw the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2.

With this selection, Gill is set to return to action just three weeks after the energy-sapping England tour, which concluded on August 4.

North Zone squad: Shubman Gill (captain, PCA), Ankit Kumar (vice-captain, HCA), Shubham Khajuria (JKCA), Ayush Badoni (DDCA), Yash Dhull (DDCA), Ankit Kalsi (HPCA), Nishant Sindhu (HCA), Sahil Lotra (JKCA), Mayank Dagar (HPCA), Yudhvir Singh Charak (JKCA), Arshdeep Singh (PCA), Harshit Rana (DDCA), Anshul Kamboj (HCA), Auqib Nabi (JKCA), Kanhaiya Wadhawan (wicketkeeper, JKCA).

BCCI Keeps Shubman Gill’s Asia Cup Chances Alive

North Zone's Duleep Trophy campaign begins on August 28 against East Zone, with the final scheduled for September 11 — a timeline that overlaps with India's Asia Cup campaign, starting on September 10 against the UAE.

However, the BCCI has left the door open for Gill — as well as Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana — to be called up for the Asia Cup, should they be selected. The selectors have named Shubman Rohilla (SSCB), Gurnoor Brar, and Anul Thakral as backups.

Earlier, PTI had reported that Gill, along with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan, is in contention for a place in India's Asia Cup squad. The selection committee is reportedly weighing its options carefully, especially with the home Test series against the West Indies looming shortly after the Asia Cup.

"There is a five-week break and with no cricket around, these three should walk into any T20 squad despite the stupendous show by Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. In 21 days at the Asia Cup, if one plays till the final, there are just six T20 games — not much of a workload. But with 17-member squads allowed, selectors will weigh the options carefully," a BCCI source told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

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