Gill, Jurel Miss Duleep Trophy Quarter-Finals Due to Illness and Injury

Gill, Jurel Miss Duleep Trophy Quarter-Finals Due to Illness and Injury

The 2025–26 Duleep Trophy got underway on Thursday at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, but without two of its most high-profile names. Shubman Gill and Dhruv Jurel, who were set to lead North Zone and Central Zone respectively, have both been ruled out of their quarter-final fixtures due to illness and injury.

Gill, fresh off a stellar Test series in England where he scored 754 runs at an average of 75.40, was named captain of the North Zone side. However, he had to withdraw on the eve of the match due to illness. In his absence, Haryana batter Ankit Kumar has taken over the captaincy, while Shubham Rohilla of Services has been added to the squad as a replacement.

Gill is expected to join the Indian squad in Bengaluru later this week before flying to Abu Dhabi for the Asia Cup, which begins on September 9. He has also been appointed vice-captain of India's T20I squad for the tournament.

Injury Blow for Jurel and Central Zone

In another setback, Dhruv Jurel, captain of Central Zone, has also been ruled out of their match against North East Zone after experiencing a groin niggle. Rajat Patidar, originally named vice-captain, has stepped up to lead the side in Jurel’s absence.

Central Zone still boast a strong squad, featuring India internationals Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar, and Kuldeep Yadav, all of whom are in the playing XI for the quarter-final.

Easwaran Out for East Zone, Riyan Parag Leads

The East Zone side has also been forced into a leadership change. Regular skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran has been sidelined with a bout of fever. Riyan Parag, the Assam allrounder, is captaining the team in their clash against North Zone.

Asia Cup Contingent in Domestic Action

Besides Gill, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana — also part of India’s Asia Cup squad — are featuring in the North Zone team and are expected to take the field later in the match.

Duleep Trophy Schedule

  • Quarter-finals: Began August 28

  • Semi-finals: Start September 4

  • Final: Scheduled for September 11

  • Venue: All matches at BCCI Centre of Excellence, Bengaluru

Despite the absence of some key names, the Duleep Trophy has started with plenty of intrigue, offering a platform for fringe players to impress ahead of a packed international calendar.