‘Shubman Gill sent out a signal to the other members of Team India by…': Sunil Gavaskar reacts to Duleep Trophy squad

Hindustan Times

15 hours ago

After lighting up the England summer with a monumental 754-run effort across five gruelling Tests, Shubman Gill could have easily chosen to take a breather. Instead, the newly-appointed Indian Test captain has decided to lead North Zone in the Duleep Trophy, drawing high praise from one of the game's greatest voices, Sunil Gavaskar. Sunil Gavaskar lauded Shubman Gill for choosing to lead North Zone in Duleep Trophy(AFP)
Gavaskar lauded Gill's decision to return to the domestic circuit so soon after a demanding overseas tour in his column for Sportstar. The 25-year-old opener is set to lead North Zone in their opening clash against East Zone on August 28 in Bengaluru, just four weeks after the last Test against England wrapped up.
The BCCI's call not to squeeze in a white-ball tour to Sri Lanka after the Bangladesh tour was postponed opened the door for top players to reinvest in domestic cricket. While several fast bowlers are being rested following the England tour, Gill's choice to stay engaged reflects a long-term commitment to India's first-class structure.
'It was good, therefore, to see that after the tour to Bangladesh was postponed to next year, the BCCI resisted the pressure to send a team for a white-ball series to Sri Lanka this month,' Gavaskar wrote. 'By doing that, the BCCI have prioritised domestic cricket, as it means that now most, if not all, of the top players will be available to play in the Duleep Trophy.'
Gavaskar pointed to Gill's participation as a symbolic and significant boost for the tournament. 'Shubman Gill, captaining the North Zone team, is a massive shot in the arm for this tournament. By being available, the Indian skipper is sending the right signal to the other members of the team,' he wrote.
"It would have been understandable if, after a gruelling tour where five Test matches were crammed in a little over six weeks, he had opted to rest. The fast bowlers not playing is good thinking, as it has been an unusually hot summer in England, thanks to global warming, and their energies must have been expended after the untiring spells they bowled throughout the series," the legendary cricketer added.
Gill's numbers in the recent Test series against England were staggering — 754 runs across five matches, the second-highest by an Indian in a single Test series after Gavaskar himself, who scored 774 in the West Indies in 1971. More importantly, Gill's runs came in a drawn 2-2 contest where he led the Indian side from the front, having taken over the reins following the retirements of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin from red-ball cricket.
Shubman Gill highlights North Zone squad in Duleep Trophy
Gill's North Zone squad is a strong blend of youth and experience. Left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh, seamer Harshit Rana, and allrounder Anshul Kamboj — who debuted in the Old Trafford Test — join Gill in a promising 15-member lineup.
Jammu and Kashmir have the largest representation with five players, including senior opener Shubham Khajuria and seamer Auqib Nabi, who finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in the last Ranji Trophy season with 44 wickets at a staggering average of 13.93.
Ankit Kumar, Haryana's leading run-scorer from the 2024-25 Ranji season, has been named vice-captain, while Delhi's Yash Dhull, Ayush Badoni and Rana bring U-19 and IPL pedigree.
With the Duleep Trophy marking the start of the 2025-26 domestic calendar and returning to its traditional zonal format, Gill's presence sends a clear message. Indian cricket's next chapter, it seems, will not only be built on international glories but on the foundation of robust domestic performances.
North Zone Squad:
Shubman Gill (captain, PCA), Ankit Kumar (vice-captain, HCA), Shubham Khajuria (JKCA), Ayush Badoni (DDCA), Yash Dhull (DDCA), Ankit Kalsi (HPCA), Nishant Sindhu (HCA), Sahil Lotra (JKCA), Mayank Dagar (HPCA), Yudhvir Singh Charak (JKCA), Arshdeep Singh (PCA), Harshit Rana (DDCA), Anshul Kamboj (HCA), Auqib Nabi (JKCA), Kanhaiya Wadhawan (wicketkeeper, JKCA).