Duleep Trophy 2025: 3 West Zone players to watch for
What's the story
Shardul Thakur, the all-rounder from India and Mumbai, has been appointed as the captain of West Zone for the upcoming 2025-26 Duleep Trophy. The tournament will kick off on August 28. The squad also features Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and middle-order batsmen Sarfaraz Khan and Shreyas Iyer. On this note, let's look at three West Zone players to watch out for.
#1
Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer's batting exploits were among the highlights of IPL 2025. As he has also done well in his recent First-Class appearances, his exclusion from the Test squad for the England series surprised many. Iyer finished the 2024/25 Ranji Trophy with 480 runs at an incredible average of 68.57. Notably, Iyer last featured in a Test in February 2024. A fine show in the Duleep Trophy could earn him a recall for the West Indies Test series.
#2
Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan has fallen out of favor after a brief stint with the Indian Test team. He has had an impressive start in Tests with four 50-plus scores in 11 innings, including a memorable 150 against New Zealand. Moreover, his First-Class average is an impressive 65.98. Hence, Sarfaraz would view this red-ball tournament as an opportunity to script a Team India return.
#3
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal has already established himself as India's mainstay Test opener, with his aggressive batting style and consistency across conditions. He concluded the recent England Test series with 411 runs from five matches at 41.10. His tally includes two tons and as many half-centuries. Overall, he averages 50.20 in Tests, and these numbers make him a headache for bowlers in the upcoming tourney.