Vikrant Shekhawat : Sep 06, 2024, 08:00 AM
Duleep Trophy: From September 19, the Indian cricket team will play a two-match Test series against Bangladesh at their home ground. Team India is yet to be announced for this important series, and the selectors are keeping an eye on the performance of the players in the recent Duleep Trophy. Key players like Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Sarfaraz Khan, and Rishabh Pant have been given a chance in the Duleep Trophy, but these players have disappointed on the first day of the game.Iyer and Pant's concern increasedThe next four months are very important for Team India to make it to the final of the World Test Championship 2023-25. During this time, the Indian team has to play a total of 10 Test matches, out of which five will be on home ground. In recent years, the middle order of the Indian team has not been able to perform as expected. Shubman Gill was placed at number 3 instead of opening, but despite the change there was no significant improvement.Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, and Shreyas Iyer all failed with the bat on the first day of the Duleep Trophy. Jaiswal scored 30 runs, Pant scored 7 runs, and Iyer scored 9 runs. Apart from this, Sarfaraz Khan, Devdutt Padikkal, and Rajat Patidar also failed to live up to expectations. These performances have raised the concern of the selectors and indicated a new option in the middle order.Musheer Khan's excellent performanceWhile many star players disappointed on the first day of the Duleep Trophy, 19-year-old Musheer Khan caught everyone's attention by playing a brilliant century. Playing for the India B team, Musheer handled his team's dire situation by scoring 105 runs and remaining unbeaten. His performance saw excellent play against both fast and spin bowling. This ability can be a positive sign for the selectors, especially when the middle-order batsmen of the Indian team are struggling against spin bowling.Mushir Khan's performance points towards a better option for middle-order batsmen in the upcoming Test season, and his selection could become an important option for the selectors.