Ever since the BCCI issued a mandamus that top players should be available for domestic matches when there were no international commitments, rosters have looked star-studded. It was no different when squads for the 2025-26 Duleep Trophy were first announced, with Test skipper Shubman Gill the leading name.

However, on Thursday, as the Duleep Trophy got underway at the BCCI’s sprawling Centre of Excellence in the city’s outskirts, North, East, and Central zones took to the field without their designated captains. Even in the most sought-after restaurants, not all of the trendy dishes on the menu are always available, are they?

Gill did not turn out for North; East’s Abhimanyu Easwaran – already standing in for Ishan Kishan – reportedly developed a fever on match-day morning, while Central’s Dhruv Jurel sat out because of a niggle.

But the likes of Mohammed Shami, Rajat Patidar, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav and Arshdeep Singh ensured that there was a fair sprinkling of stardust.

All eyes, in fact, were on East Zone’s Shami, who was playing only his second First Class match in more than two years. The 34-year-old finished with figures of 17-4-55-1 and helped restrict North to 308 for six before heavy rain brought an end to the proceedings 10 minutes before close.

Each of North’s top-five batters got off to starts, but none made big runs, with Ayush Badoni’s breezy 63 (60b, 7×4) the best effort.

For East, left-arm spinner Manishi, despite being a tad expensive, scalped three wickets (19-2-90-3). The 21-year-old Jharkhand bowler dismissed the top-three batters leg-before, with skipper Ankit Kumar getting out while essaying a sweep, Shubham Khajuria a flick, and Yash Dhull trapped on the back-foot.

In the adjacent ground, Danish Malewar (198 batting, 219b, 35×4, 1×6) and Patidar (125, 96b, 21×4, 3×6) made merry at the expense of the hapless North East Zone bowlers as Central Zone reached 432 for two at Stumps.

Published on Aug 28, 2025