Star India players set to miss opening fixture of Duleep Trophy 2025

The Indian wicket-keeper batter, Ishan Kishan, will not feature for the East Zone for the curtain raiser of the Duleep Trophy 2025 as he hasn’t recovered fully from the minor injury that he picked up in the United Kingdom during his stint with Nottinghamshire. The selectors have replaced him with Odisha’s Ashirwad Swain. It has been revealed that the Jharkhand batter fell off an e-bike.

That was the reason why he wasn’t considered as the replacement of Rishabh Pant ahead of India's fifth and final red-ball clash against England at the Kennington Oval. This was why N Jagadeesan flew as back-up to Dhurv Jurel. Kisha’s injury doesn’t appear to be a serious one, as he could play for India A in the upcoming two four-day fixtures against Australia next month.

See Also: Asia Cup 2025: Why Shubman Gill should be selected in the squad?

The southpaw will now continue to go through the fitness assessment at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru of the BCCI. In his absence, his state team-mate, Kumar Kushagra, will be the first-choice wicket-keeper for the East Zone.

East Zone to miss Akash Deep in Duleep Trophy 2025

East Zone will also be without their fast bowler, Akash Deep, who has been suggested to rest due to his niggle, whose fitness assessment is likely to happen a few days later. He was on the England trip recently and missed the fourth Manchester clash due to a back injury before smashing a fine fifty as a nightwatchman in the second innings of the fifth Oval Test.

Akash Deep enjoyed a decent series with 13 wickets in three games, including a maiden ten-wicket haul during the second Birmingham encounter. Akash has been replaced by Assam’s Mukhtar Hussain for the Abhimanyu-led side. Riyan Parag will be the deputy of Easwaran. Their squad is comprised of Mukhesh Kumar and Mohammed Shami.

East Zone will start their campaign on August 28 against Shubman Gill’s North Zone. All the games will be played at the CoE in Bengaluru.

Updated East Zone squad for Duleep Trophy 2025 opener

Abhimanyu Easwaran (captain), Ashirwad Swain (wk), Sandeep Patnaik, Virat Singh, Denish Das, Sridam Paul, Sharandeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Riyan Parag (vice-captain), Utkarsh Singh, Manishi, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Mukhtar Hussain, and Mohammed Shami