Shubman Gill to miss Duleep Trophy due to illness: Report
What's the story
North Zone captain and India T20 vice-captain Shubman Gill is likely to miss the upcoming Duleep Trophy due to illness, as per Cricbuzz. The tournament, which begins later this week in Bengaluru, will see North Zone take on East Zone in the quarterfinal at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence ground. Even if he were fit, Gill would have only played the opening fixture due to national duty with the Asia Cup starting September 9.
Team changes
Ankit Kumar to lead North Zone
As Gill's absence is confirmed, vice-captain Ankit Kumar will now lead the North Zone side in the Duleep Trophy. The decision was made when the selectors announced the North Zone squad, with Shubham Rohilla already named as Gill's replacement. This change comes after Gill's stellar performance on his England tour earlier this month, where he scored 754 runs in five Tests.
Upcoming challenges
Gill included in Asia Cup squad
Gill's stellar form in England and the 2025 Indian Premier League earned him a spot in India's T20 squad for the Asia Cup, where he was also named vice-captain. The tournament will run from September 9 to 18. As defending champions, India will play UAE on September 10, Pakistan on September 14 and Oman on September 19.
Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy
Gill led from the front
As mentioned, Gill magnificently led a new-look Indian side on the England tour. He was instrumental in India's record-breaking win at Edgbaston, scoring a monumental 269. He further slammed 161 in the second innings. Gill ended the series with 754 runs. He averaged 75.40, having slammed four hundreds. He now has the second-most runs by a captain in a Test series. As the series ended in a 2-2 draw, Gill was named the Indian Player of the Series.