Duleep Trophy 2024: The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) will kick off India’s domestic cricket season with the opening match of the Duleep Trophy. This game, the first of six four-day red-ball matches, will take place at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, starting September 5. Although Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh was initially designated as the venue for the tournament, this particular match has been moved to Bengaluru at the request of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).


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According to reports the venue switch is intended to involve top international and domestic players in the Duleep Trophy as they prepare for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, which begins on September 18.


Except for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah, the BCCI has directed other leading players to participate in the Duleep Trophy. High-profile cricketers like KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer, and Yashasvi Jaiswal are expected to take part in the tournament, either fully or partially. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been given the choice to opt in or out of the competition.


Hardik Pandya is the notable absentee from the top international players, as he has ceased playing red-ball cricket. However, selectors are likely to include Ishan Kishan, who has been frequently left out of international matches, in one of the four squads. Jasprit Bumrah will be exempt from domestic duties, and Mohammed Shami, currently rehabilitating from surgery, is unlikely to feature in the tournament.


The decision to involve internationals in domestic cricket reflects the BCCI’s strategy to address the issue of players skipping domestic matches. Last year, the board notably removed Iyer and Ishan from the central contract list as part of this policy. The four-team Duleep Trophy will be played in a league format, with no knockout stages, and is scheduled to conclude on September 22.