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Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed surprise at the exclusion of star players Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah from the 2024 Duleep Trophy squads. The tournament, set to commence on September 5, will kick off the 2024 domestic season in India. Despite the majority of Test probably being included in the four squads, the selectors have opted to rest Kohli, Bumrah, and Rohit, citing the long red-ball season ahead.
Sanjay Manjrekar, however, believes that the trio, already well-rested, could have used the Duleep Trophy to prepare for the upcoming red-ball fixtures. India’s home season will start with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh in Chennai from September 19.
Sanjay Manjrekar Questions Exclusion of Kohli, Rohit, and Bumrah from 2024 Duleep Trophy
On X, Sanjay Manjrekar highlighted that India has played 249 international matches in the last five years, with Rohit featuring in only 59% of them, Kohli in 61%, and Bumrah in 34%. He argued that given their rest periods, they would have been ideal candidates for the Duleep Trophy, which could have served as valuable preparation for the challenges ahead.
Rohit and Kohli last played in the ODI series against Sri Lanka, which India lost 0-2, while Bumrah’s last appearance was during the title-winning 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA.
