SaralnamaOn 28 Aug 2025, Central Zone captain Dhruv Jurel and East Zone skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran missed the opening round of the Duleep Trophy due to injuries. Jurel, a key wicketkeeper-batter from Uttar Pradesh and standby for India's Asia Cup squad, was ruled out with a groin niggle. His absence led to Madhya Pradesh’s Rajat Patidar captaining Central Zone. Easwaran, from Bengal, missed the match due to flu symptoms and was replaced by Assam all-rounder Riyan Parag as East Zone captain. Both players’ absence affected their teams’ leadership in the tournament held at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, Bengaluru. Jurel’s rest is also linked to upcoming Test matches and uncertainty over Rishabh Pant’s fitness. The Duleep Trophy remains an important platform for players to impress selectors ahead of international events. (Updated 28 Aug 2025, 13:58 IST; source: link)