The opening match of Duleep Trophy 2025 is scheduled to begin on August 28 at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
The first match will see the face off between East Zone and North Zone.
East Zone will be without two of their key players—wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan and fast bowler Akash Deep—for their opening match of the Duleep Trophy 2025.
Ishan Kishan, who recently featured for Nottinghamshire in county cricket, has been ruled out due to an injury. According to reports, he sustained a minor injury that required multiple stitches and is yet to recover fully. Kishan’s absence is a significant blow to East Zone, especially with his experience in domestic and international cricket. In his place, Odisha’s Aasirwad Swain has been included in the squad.
Jharkhand’s Kumar Kushagra is expected to take over wicketkeeping duties for the opening fixture. Bengal’s Abhimanyu Easwaran will lead the East Zone side in the absence of Kishan, who was among the senior figures in the squad.
The timing of Kishan’s injury is crucial, as he is currently undergoing a fitness assessment at the CoE in Bengaluru and is reportedly in contention for a spot in the India A squad for the upcoming four-day unofficial Test series against Australia A, set to begin next month. His exclusion from the Duleep Trophy appears to be a precautionary measure to preserve his availability for national duty.
In another setback for East Zone, pacer Akash Deep has also been rested for the tournament opener. The national team fast bowler has been advised rest after picking up a niggle during the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy tour. His replacement, Assam pacer Mukhtar Hussain, has been added to the squad.
Despite his impressive form in England—where he took 13 wickets in three Test matches, including a match-winning ten-wicket haul in Birmingham—Akash Deep’s participation in domestic fixtures has been paused for the moment. The exact nature and seriousness of his condition have not yet been officially disclosed.
The East Zone side, under Easwaran’s leadership, features several promising talents including Riyan Parag, who has been named vice-captain, along with experienced bowlers like Mukesh Kumar and Mohammed Shami. The team will be looking to make a strong start against a well-balanced North Zone side led by India international Shubman Gill.
Both teams will be eager to begin their Duleep Trophy campaigns on a winning note as the tournament continues to provide a crucial platform for domestic talents to push for national selection.
