New Delhi [India], August 9 (ANI): India batter and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad on Saturday started practising for the upcoming 2025-26 Duleep Trophy, where he will be seen playing for the West Zone team.

In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, an injury put an end to Gaikwad's season, as he made 122 runs in five matches, averaging 24.40, with two half-centuries. Not only was Gaikwad inconsistent, but he could win only one out of five matches during the season.

Other than Gaikwad, there are some more Indian international stars like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, and Sarfaraz Khan who are part of the West Zone squad. Shardul, who has been named the captain, has never led in the first-class format, but captained Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in December 2024, a one-day tournament.

The competition, to be held from August 28 to September 15, will mark the start of the Indian domestic season 2025-26. Last year, the tournament shifted from its usual zonal format to having four different Indian squads, A, B, C and D, selected by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

International names like Axar Patel, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav were among the players who took part in the tournament. This year, the tournament will revert to its zonal format, with six teams playing: North, South, East, West, Central and North East, picked by the selectors of the Ranji teams in each zone, as per Wisden.

West Zone Duleep Trophy squad:

-Batters: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Sarfaraz Khan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Aarya Desai, Manan Hingrajia.

-Wicketkeepers: Harvik Desai, Saurabh Nawale.

-All-rounders: Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Jaymeet Patel, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja.

-Bowlers: Shardul Thakur (c), Tushar Deshpande, Arzan Nagwaswalla. (ANI)