Dropped from the IND vs WI Test series, Cheteshwar Pujara will turn out for the West Zone in the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2023. The competition marks the beginning of the Indian domestic season, with Pujara boosting an already strong West Zone side. The 35-year-old will be accompanied by fellow discard Suryakumar Yadav.
Hours after BCCI announced the squads for the India tour of West Indies, Cheteshwar Pujara and Suryakumar Yadav were added to the West Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy. At 35, Pujara’s days in international cricket are numbered. The WI series is the start of India’s plans to phase out veterans and begin the transition.
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Despite that, the door is not closed on Pujara. The Test specialist was dropped from the team after the South Africa tour in 2021. However, he made a comeback on the back of runs in the County Championship. Pujara again will have to show his mettle in domestic cricket to force himself to Rahul Dravid’s plans.
“The selectors and the coach (Rahul Dravid) wanted to try out youngsters like Jaiswal and Gaikwad, which is why Pujara has not been picked for this tour. If he scores runs in domestic cricket, the doors are not closed on him, and that has been communicated to him,” a reliable source told TOI.
Pujara had a forgettable World Test Championship final, with scores of 14 and 27. He averages a dismal 32 in the WTC 21-23 cycle, with just a solitary century to his name. A good show in the Duleep Trophy and County Cricket could keep Pujara in the fray for the tour of South Africa later this year.
From July 12 to 16, Dominica will host India’s first Test, while from July 20 to 24, Jamaica will host the second and final match. In the meantime, the Duleep Trophy will begin on June 28 and the summit match will begin on July 12.
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