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Akash Deep To Miss Duleep Trophy As East Zone Call Up Mukhtar Hussain

Jatin

Akash Deep has been in stunning form [Source: AFP Photos]Akash Deep has been in stunning form [Source: AFP Photos]

Indian pacer Akash Deep, fresh from making headlines in the England Test series, won’t be turning up for East Zone in the upcoming Duleep Trophy starting August 28 in Bengaluru. The speedster, who was named in the original 15, has been replaced by Assam’s medium pacer Mukhtar Hussain.

East Zone Lose Akash Deep Ahead Of Duleep Trophy Clash With North Zone

The news was broken on X by PTI journalist Kushan Sarkar, who posted:

“Some #CricketTwitter news Akash Deep will not be playing #duleeptrophy. Whether he has been advised rest by CoE not clear. East Zone selection committee has picked Assam's medium pacer Mukhtar Hussain. @BCCI @BCCIdomestic”

Akash Deep was expected to spearhead the East Zone pace battery alongside Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar and Suraj Jaiswal. His recent red-ball form was nothing short of sizzling; a ten-wicket match haul in India’s 336-run win at Birmingham, plus a gritty fifty as nightwatchman in the Oval Test. But whatever the reason: rest, fitness, or workload management, the 28-year-old will be watching from the sidelines this time.

Ishan Kishan To Lead, Easwaran As Deputy

The East Zone side, picked earlier this month at the JSCA International Stadium, will be led by India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, with Abhimanyu Easwaran as vice-captain. Easwaran has been warming the bench in the England Test series, but his experience in domestic cricket makes him a solid deputy.

The Duleep Trophy returns to its traditional six-team zonal format and will kick off the 2025/26 domestic season. East Zone face North Zone in the quarter-final at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground with the winner meeting South Zone in the semi-final.

East Zone Squad

Ishan Kishan (c) (Jharkhand), Abhimanyu Easwaran (vc) (Bengal), Sandeep Pattnaik (Odisha), Virat Singh (Jharkhand), Denish Das (Assam), Sridam Paul (Tripura), Sharandeep Singh (Jharkhand), Kumar Kushagra (Jharkhand), Riyan Parag (Assam), Utkarsh Singh (Jharkhand), Manishi (Jharkhand), Suraj Jaiswal (Bengal), Mukesh Kumar (Bengal), Mukhtar Hussain (Assam), Mohammed Shami (Bengal).