Photo Credit: BCCI
The BCCI has instructed all star cricketers to participate in domestic cricket whenever they are not on national duty, with exceptions for senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah.
This move underscores the BCCI’s emphasis on the importance of domestic cricket in maintaining player form and competitiveness. The national selection committee will now be responsible for selecting teams for the Duleep Trophy, taking over from the zonal selection committee.
The directive requires Test specialists to play in at least one or two Duleep Trophy games in August to prepare for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand. This is seen as crucial for the players’ readiness for international matches.
A BCCI source told PTI, “This time there is no zonal selection committee for the Duleep Trophy. Only the national selection committee will pick the Duleep teams. All Test team contenders will be picked. For Rohit, Virat, and Bumrah, it will be their choice if they want to play or not.”
Prioritizing domestic cricket is considered essential to maintain peak player performance. While the BCCI mandates participation for most players, it grants senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah the autonomy to decide their involvement, recognizing the importance of managing their workload effectively.
This balanced strategy aims to allow key team members sufficient rest while enabling others to refine their skills through domestic tournaments.
