On September 5, many players from India's current Test team and those close to national selection will participate in the
Duleep Trophy
in Bengaluru and Anantapur, marking the start of the 2024/25 domestic
cricket
season. The Duleep Trophy's significance has been challenged recently due to a packed schedule. Traditionally, it has been a platform for selectors to see if top performers from the Ranji Trophy can excel at a higher level of first-class cricket.
The format of the Duleep Trophy has undergone various changes over the years. It was not held for three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and its competitive nature has fluctuated. The tournament has transitioned from a five-team zonal event to a three-team contest with teams named after RGB display formats and has even included teams from Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and England.
The new format features four teams, labeled A, B, C, and D, with the top two teams advancing to the final. According to Bharat Arun, the former India's men’s bowling coach, this revamped format offers a perfect opportunity to assess bowlers before India plays ten Tests by January 7, 2025.
The revamped Duleep Trophy is the perfect opportunity to assess bowlers before India plays ten Tests till January 7, 2025.
"It provides an opportunity for all the cricketers to have enough number of overs under the belt. Also, it’s a great process to see how they fare with the red ball. The selectors have picked nearly 18-20 players, isn’t it? So, I’m sure they must have zeroed in on a few of the bowlers.
"Duleep Trophy provides you the right kind of platform for you to assess the bowlers. Also, the bowlers get to have enough number of overs under their belt so that it’s like preparation for the (future) Test series," Arun told IANS.
The Duleep Trophy's format is changing for the 2024/25 season, and the Ranji Trophy also sees a new structure. Disruptions from last winter in the north and north-east regions prompted the changes. The Ranji Trophy will be split into two phases, with the first phase featuring five group matches. The second phase, including the last two group stage games and the knockouts, will commence after the Vijay Hazare Trophy ends on January 18, 2025.
Arun, a former coach of Tamil Nadu, Bengal, and Hyderabad in domestic cricket, highlighted the benefits of this division.
"It would work because you are playing more against teams that are equals rather than you pit it against someone who’s well below the expected standards. So, when you’re pitted against equals, who are better cricketers, you have to raise the standards. That’s the only way to learn. So, it’s a good opportunity for all of them to up the standard when you’re playing again amongst equals."
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