Shubman Gill goes underground, blocks BCCI, Selectors

The big question before the Duleep Trophy 2025 opener is whether Shubman Gill will walk out as North Zone’s captain or not. With the tournament kicking off on August 28 between the North Zone and the East Zone in Bengaluru, there is still no clarity on Shubman Gill’s availability.

North Zone has already begun full-fledged preparations, assuming their skipper Gill will join. But there has been no official word from India’s Test captain or the BCCI. If Gill fails to get clearance from the medical team, North Zone vice-captain Ankit Kumar will take charge.

Will Shubman Gill lead the North Zone in the Duleep Trophy 2025 opener?

After leading India through a long and demanding Test tour of England, the right-handed batter was all set to captain North Zone in the Duleep Trophy 2025. He wanted to send a strong message about the importance of playing domestic cricket while playing in the tournament.

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But just days before the tournament opener, Gill fell ill with viral fever and was asked to undergo medical tests. The reports are now with the BCCI doctors, and the Indian Test captain’s availability depends entirely on their clearance.

While several reports claimed Gill’s unavailability, the North Zone camp has still not received any official word, leaving them in suspense.

Read Also: India player changes team after Asia Cup 2025 snub

We haven’t heard anything from Shubman Gill or BCCI: North Zone

A member of the North Zone coaching staff was quoted as saying by RevSportz, “If Shubman is not available, he would inform the selectors and/or the BCCI. We haven’t heard anything from them, or Shubman, as yet, and accordingly, we are expecting him to join the squad today, along with Harshit Rana. Beyond this, I can’t say anything. If he isn’t available, then I think we will be informed.”

Some of the contracted players will visit the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence later this month for pre-season fitness tests, especially those who are set to play in the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2025.

Notably, the 25-year-old, who is also India’s vice-captain for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, was expected to play only North Zone’s first match before flying out for national duty.

Shubman Gill breaks the world record for most ODI runs in 55 innings

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill has smashed a record that puts him ahead of some of the greatest ODI batters the game has ever seen. He has left behind legends like Hashim Amla and Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq and etched his name into the record book with the most ODI runs in his first 55 innings.

The 25-year-old Indian opener has 2775 runs in his first 55 ODI innings to his name, and those are more than any other cricketer in history, where even Virat Kohli doesn’t make it to the top five. Gill was followed by Amla (2713), Imam (2539), Zaheer Abbas (2432), and Fakhar Zaman (2410).

Gill is already the captain of India’s Test team, the vice-captain in T20Is, and Rohit Sharma’s deputy in ODIs. With Rohit nearing the end of his career, Gill is set to become India’s next all-format captain, most probably after India’s white-ball tour of Australia later this year.

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