Who Are the Key Batters Under Pressure in the 2024 Duleep Trophy?

The Duleep Trophy is back with a bang in 2024, and it’s more intense than ever. With the cream of Indian cricket battling it out, the stakes are sky-high—not just for the emerging talent but also for the established names. While the tournament is a golden opportunity for youngsters to break into the national team, it’s also a proving ground for seasoned players who can’t afford a misstep. Here’s a look at five key batters who are under significant pressure to perform in this edition of the Duleep Trophy.

Abhimanyu Easwaran

Abhimanyu Easwaran (Image Source: X(Twitter))

Abhimanyu Easwaran has been a perennial almost-man for India’s Test side. Despite scoring heavily in domestic cricket, Easwaran has repeatedly seen opportunities slip through his fingers. Now, at 28, he’s running out of time to make his long-awaited Test debut.

Easwaran’s biggest challenge is overcoming the perception that he falters in big games. The Duleep Trophy offers him a chance to change that narrative. With Rohit Sharma likely nearing the end of his Test career, there’s an opening for a new Test opener. Easwaran needs to seize this opportunity and deliver big hundreds against the best domestic bowlers.

Rajat Patidar

Rajat Patidar (Image Source: X(Twitter))

Rajat Patidar is in a similar predicament to Shreyas Iyer, but his situation is even more urgent. At 31, Patidar is at the peak of his career, but his underwhelming performances in Tests have left him on the fringes of the national team. The Duleep Trophy is perhaps his last chance to prove that he belongs at the highest level.

Under the new leadership of Gautam Gambhir, Patidar can’t rely on past performances to secure his spot. He needs to show that his poor run in Tests was an aberration and that he can consistently deliver against quality opposition. 

Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer (Image Source: X(Twitter))

Shreyas Iyer’s situation mirrors that of Ishan Kishan. Despite leading the Kolkata Knight Riders to an IPL title, Iyer’s place in the Test side is anything but secure. He’s out of a central contract, and with competition for spots in the Test team fiercer than ever, Iyer needs to deliver big runs in the Duleep Trophy to stay in the reckoning.

With the return of Rishabh Pant and the emergence of other young talents like Dhruv Jurel and KL Rahul, Iyer is under immense pressure. Even a single bad game could push him out of contention, especially with selectors eyeing Suryakumar Yadav for a spot across all formats. 

Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan (Image Source: X(Twitter))

Ishan Kishan finds himself in a precarious situation. Once seen as a bright prospect for India across formats, Kishan’s recent break for mental well-being didn’t sit well with the selectors, resulting in the loss of his national contract. Now, he faces an uphill battle to regain his place in the team, and the Duleep Trophy is his first big opportunity to do so.

Kishan’s task is daunting. He needs to not only perform but outperform others to regain the selectors’ trust. His situation is further complicated by the fact that his position in the T20I and ODI squads is also uncertain. A poor showing in the Duleep Trophy could push him further away from the national team.

Sarfaraz Khan

Sarfaraz Khan (Image Source: X(Twitter))

Sarfaraz Khan has been the backbone of Mumbai’s batting line-up and has shown that he has what it takes to succeed at the highest level. But the Duleep Trophy presents a different challenge. Here, Sarfaraz will face the best domestic bowlers India has to offer, and he can’t afford to take his foot off the pedal.

While his current form has been excellent, Sarfaraz is at a crucial juncture in his career. A string of good performances in the Duleep Trophy could catapult him into contention for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand. 

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