The Duleep Trophy is all set to begin on September 5, in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh and M Chinnaswamy stadium, Bengaluru. It will mark the beginning of India’s red-ball cricket in the domestic season, and will comprise some India regulars and young and emerging talent. Ahead of the tournament, which will play a key role in the selection of the Indian Test team for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee has been challenged by an Indian spinner.
R Sai Kishore, who has been a regular for the Tamil Nadu state team, recently recovered from a freak golf injury during the IPL 2024 season, just a day after delivering a match-winning performance (4/33) for Gujarat Titans against Punjab Kings in April. Albeit not entirely fit, he returned to action during the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), where he featured solely as a batter before featuring in the ongoing Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament.
Sai Kishore raring to prove himself in Duleep Trophy
Sai Kishore will next play in the Duleep Trophy in Team B, alongside fellow spinners like Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Rahul Chahar. Ahead of the domestic tournament, he made a bold statement in an interview with The New Indian Express saying that he is one of the best spinners in the country at the moment and is ready to play a Test match for India.
“I feel so confident because I have never trained in the block I have now. Maybe before getting into the IPL, I would have trained like this. Waking up at 4 am, training and then, bowling. I haven’t put in as many hours as I have this pre-season in the past four-five years. During the IPL, you don’t get time, you focus on recovery. After TNPL, I had a 15-20 day break, and used it to the best.
“I feel I am one of the best spinners in the country. Put me in a Test match, I am ready. So, I am not worried too much. Jadeja is there, I have never played alongside him. I have been with him in CSK, but never played together in red-ball format. So, it will be a good learning experience in terms of what he does. In saying that, I feel confident. So, I am ready more than ever,” he said.
A media report earlier hinted that the Duleep Trophy will play a key role in the selectors deciding on the 15-member squad for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, which will begin on September 19.
Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
