Significant uncertainty has arisen regarding the composition of the Southern region team ahead of the Duleep Cup final. The final, scheduled for Chennai on September 6th, will be contested between the Southern and Eastern regions. Kel Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, and Mohammed Siraj have been named for this match.
However, a final decision on the fate of these three players has not yet been made. The decision on whether Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ishan Kishan, and Southern region captain Tilak Verma will participate in the Duleep Cup final will be made by the Indian national team's head coach, Gautam Gambhir.
A source from the BCCI informed PTI that national selectors are keen for any available Indian player to participate in the Duleep Cup final.
Kel Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, and Mohammed Siraj last played on August 27th. Following this, they are scheduled to participate in the ODI series against West India starting September 27th. Selectors believe that instead of a long break, these players should feature in the Duleep Cup final.
A BCCI source noted that Rahul, Padikkal, and Siraj currently have no other competitive matches scheduled. Selectors are insisting that available Indian players take part in the Duleep Cup final.
The situation with Devdutt Padikkal is slightly different as he is not part of the upcoming ODI series against West India. Therefore, he has a chance to play in the India A series. Nevertheless, the selectors' priority is Padikkal's participation in the Southern region match in Chennai if he is given the opportunity to play in the Duleep Cup final. Thus, the situation with Rahul, Padikkal, and Siraj is almost clear, but the final decision regarding Vaibhav, Ishan, and Tilak has not been reached.
The reason lies in the imminent gathering of the Indian national team for the T20I format. The Indian team is expected to assemble in Delhi on September 9th or 10th. The question arises: should these three players be sent to Chennai for the Duleep Cup final or invited directly to Delhi?
According to a BCCI source, if Gautam Gambhir wishes for Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ishan Kishan, and Tilak Verma to arrive according to the established T20I schedule, they will not be able to play in the Duleep Cup final. However, if Gambhir permits them to participate in the Duleep Cup final and asks them to arrive in Delhi by the evening of September 10th, all three can play in the final in Chennai.
Therefore, the possibility of Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ishan Kishan, and Tilak Verma participating in the Duleep Cup final entirely depends on the decision of the team management.
The Duleep Cup final between the Southern and Eastern regions will take place in Chennai starting September 6th. Ajit Agarkar, Chairman of the Indian National Team Selection Committee, is also traveling to Chennai to watch the match. Agarkar's presence is significant as the situation regarding his contract extension remains unclear.
Ajit Agarkar did not attend an important BCCI meeting on September 3rd as he was excused from the session due to family circumstances. His current contract expires on October 4th. It will now be interesting to see if BCCI Secretary Devdjit Saykiya discusses Agarkar's contract extension.
Meanwhile, the BCCI is making important preparations for the Indian team's training camp. The board plans to send Minka Yadav, Kartik Tyagi, and left-arm fast bowler Mohisin Khan to Japan as net bowlers for the Asian Games. At the request of Head Coach VVS Lakshman, these three are to assist in the training sessions of the Indian team.
Traditionally, the BCCI sends net bowlers with the team during major tournaments. Minka Yadav, Kartik Tyagi, and Mohisin Khan possess good experience in T20 cricket and can assist in team training as options for fast bowlers.
The BCCI is in the process of obtaining visas for these three players to Japan. However, these players will not be part of the official Indian contingent. Their role will only be to perform the duties of net bowlers during the training sessions of the Indian men's team. According to the plan, they will stay with the team until India's first match at the Asian Games. The start of the Indian men's campaign at the Asian Games is scheduled for September 26th, so it is planned that Minka Yadav, Kartik Tyagi, and Mohisin Khan will stay in Japan until September 26th.
The Indian men's team is expected to depart from Delhi on September 20th. Nevertheless, timely visa acquisition for these three players before their departure to Japan is a necessary condition.
Thus, while the composition of the Southern region team for the Duleep Cup final is considered almost set with the inclusion of Rahul, Padikkal, and Siraj, the final decision regarding Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ishan Kishan, and Tilak Verma now rests with Gautam Gambhir.