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Tilak Varma for India - (Source: X)
The 63rd edition of Duleep Trophy will commence from August 23 till September 6. On Sunday, August 2, the apex cricket board of India released squads of all six teams - South Zone, North Zone, Central Zone, West Zone, East Zone, North-East Zone.
The upcoming red-ball event is a perfect opportunity for several Indian stars to audition for the Indian team. The squad for the Sri Lanka series is already locked, and the next Test series is in November against New Zealand.
Hence, the Duleep Trophy is the perfect platform for players to earn an India selection, and this article will shed light on that.
1. Rajat Patidar
Rajat Patidar is one player who has been knocking on the selectors’ doors for a long time. The RCB skipper is performing well across formats, and the Duleep Trophy is a great opportunity for him to earn a Test call-up.
The 33-year-old was handed his India debut back in 2024 against England, and his last Test too came in that series. However, at present, India have a lot of issues in the middle-order, which need correction. Hence, Rajat Patidar can be a great addition.
Also Read: Tilak Varma's Captaincy Record In Red-Ball Cricket Ahead Of Duleep Trophy 2026
If we look at Patidar’s domestic performances, then he scored 266 runs in 7 innings during Ranji Trophy 2025-26, averaging 44.83. The right-handed batter also played Duleep Trophy in 2025, where he amassed 382 runs in 5 innings, averaging 76.40.
2. Tilak Varma
Tilak Varma has been named as South Zone captain, which hints that the BCCI is also looking at him in the red-ball set-up. The southpaw is already serving as Shreyas Iyer’s deputy in T20Is. Tilak is also active in ODIs, but Test is the only format where he is yet to make his debut.
Tilak’s anchor role also fits the bill, and he can be a great addition to the middle-order if he produces a great Duleep Trophy. Tilak Varma showed his red-ball skills to the world in 2025, when he played County Cricket. He played 6 innings and scored 358 runs, averaging 59.67.
3. Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan has had an unfortunate journey with the Indian team so far. The right-handed batter, who was once dubbed the Bradman of domestic cricket, has been constantly ignored by the selectors. Sarfaraz Khan made his Test debut in 2024, but was out of the scheme of things by November 2024, and New Zealand was his last Test series.
If we look at his stats in 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, he scored 429 runs in 9 innings, averaging 53.63. He scored a double-hundred in that tournament. Sarfaraz Khan had also scored a century during his last Test series and a good performance in upcoming Duleep Trophy will defenitely force the selectors to think about him.
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