Shubman Gill to Lead North Zone in 2025-26 Duleep Trophy

Shubman Gill, the Indian Test captain, has been announced as the leader of the North Zone team in the forthcoming 2025-26 Duleep Trophy, which kicks off later this month, marking the start of the domestic cricket season, reported ESPNcricinfo.

The squad will feature Indian seamers Anshul Kamboj and Arshdeep Singh, both of whom recently debuted against England in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Additionally, Harshit Rana, a newcomer from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, will bolster the North Zone's bowling attack.

With the Asia Cup scheduled from September 9 to 28 overlapping the Duleep Trophy, Gill and a few others might miss matches if selected for the national team, prompting replacements. Ankit Kumar has been appointed as vice-captain of North Zone, highlighting his impressive Ranji Trophy performance for Haryana.

Left-arm spin all-rounder Nishant Sindhu and several Delhi players, including Yash Dhull and Harshit Rana, contribute to the squad's strength. From Jammu and Kashmir, Shubham Khajuria and Auqib Nabi stand out for their Ranji success, as North Zone prepares to face East Zone in the inaugural clash on August 28 in Bengaluru.

(With inputs from agencies.)