Iyer To Bat At 4, Ishan To Keep Wickets; India D's Probable XI For Duleep Trophy Match Vs India C
Shreyas Iyer will lead India D team in Duleep Trophy 2024 (X)
The Duleep Trophy 2024 is set to witness a fierce contest as Ruturaj Gaikwad's India C locks horns with Shreyas Iyer's India D in Match 2 of the tournament, starting Thursday, September 5, at the RDT Stadium in Anantapur.
With a mix of seasoned campaigners and rising stars, both teams will be looking to make a statement in this early fixture. Let's take a look at India D's probably playing XI for this exciting Duleep Trophy 2024 clash.
Team D's opening pair of Atharva Taide and Devdutt Padikkal will be crucial to their success. Taide, who turned heads in the last Ranji season with 584 runs in 8 matches at an average of 41.71, is no stranger to grinding it out in the middle. His consistent performances, highlighted by two centuries and two fifties, suggest he will open the innings.
On the other hand, Devdutt Padikkal has already had a taste of Test cricket for India recently. Despite playing only four Ranji Trophy matches last season, Padikkal made his presence felt with 556 runs at a staggering average of 92.66, including three centuries.
Ricky Bhui, arguably the best batter in the previous Ranji season, will slot in at No. 3. Bhui's exceptional tally of 902 runs at an average of 75.16, including four centuries, marks him as the linchpin of Team D's batting lineup.
Iyer, Ishan, Axar And Yash Dubey To Bolster India D's Middle Order
Shreyas Iyer, the skipper, is expected to take the No. 4 spot. Known for his aggressive yet controlled batting style, Iyer will be the engine driving Team D's innings.
Meanwhile, Yash Dube, who impressed with 615 runs in 9 Ranji matches, is likely to slot in at No. 5, bringing solidity to the middle order.
In the battle for the wicketkeeping gloves, Ishan Kishan is expected to edge out KS Bharat. Kishan's inclusion is a clear signal that he's being groomed for a spot in the Indian Test side, and his presence will add depth to Team D's lower-middle order. His aggressive batting style and sharp glovework could be the X-factor for his team.
Team D's spin department will be spearheaded by Axar Patel, one of India's premier Test spinners, and Saransh Jain, a promising all-rounder who bagged 27 wickets in 8 matches last Ranji season at an impressive average of 20.00.
Arshdeep, Rana and Deshpande form the pace attack
The pace attack will be led by Arshdeep Singh, who has been in the selectors' sights for a potential spot in Australia.
Fresh off his India debut last month, Harshit Rana will be looking to make his mark in red-ball cricket, while the third seamer's spot will likely be a toss-up between Tushar Deshpande and Aditya Thakare.
Despite a modest Ranji season with 15 wickets in 5 matches, Deshpande brings valuable experience from the IPL, where he has often bowled under pressure.
Thakare, however, had a standout Ranji season with 35 wickets in 10 matches, making this a close call. However, Deshpande's ability to bat could just give him the edge.
India D's Probable XI vs India C
Atharva Taide, Devdutt Padikkal, Ricky Bhui, Shreyas Iyer (c) Yash Dubey, Ishan Kishan (wk), Axar Patel, Saransh Jain, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Tushar Deshpande.
 "Jatin")
