Ruturaj Gaikwad named captain of West Zone for Duleep Trophy
Left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Shams Mulani named his deputy
India opener Ruturaj Gaikwad has been appointed captain of a star-studded West Zone squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy, with seasoned left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Shams Mulani named his deputy.
The Duleep Trophy is set to get under way on August 23, with teams beginning to announce their squads ahead of the new season. West Zone have now revealed a strong line-up for the tournament, led by Gaikwad.
The squad features several notable names, including Prithvi Shaw, Shivalik Sharma, Musheer Khan and Sarfaraz Khan. Mulani will serve as vice-captain, adding experience and leadership to the side.
Mix of youth and experience
Harvik Desai and Urvil Patel have been selected as the two wicketkeepers, while the batting department boasts an interesting mix of youth and experience. West Zone will be hoping the combination can help them mount a strong challenge for the title.
The bowling attack also features plenty of firepower, with Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande and Mukesh Choudhary among those expected to play key roles. The squad will be aiming to make a deep run in the competition and secure a place in the semi-finals.
West Zone will begin their Duleep Trophy campaign against North Zone at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on August 23. The match will be the second quarter-final of the tournament.
The winner will advance to the second semi-final, where they will face South Zone from August 30.
The first semi-final will feature Central Zone against the winner of the opening quarter-final between East Zone and North East Zone, which is also scheduled to be played on August 23.
