Cheteshwar Pujara to play in Duleep Trophy after India snub

Veteran batsman Cheteshwar Pujara was axed from the Indian squad on Friday for the upcoming West Indies tour. However, Pujara has not lost his determination to play in the Indian team. He has decided to return to the domestic grind.

Pujara will play in the upcoming Duleep Trophy for West Zone and he will be available from the first match itself. Another India superstar Suryakumar Yadav will also play in the prestigious domestic tournament. The Duleep Trophy begins in Bengaluru on June 28.

The development happened after Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad found themselves in the Indian Test squad for the first time for a tour of West Indies that begins on July 12 in Dominica. Thus the transition of the Indian team has already started.

It was expected that Pujara will be ousted from the Indian Test squad after the right-hander failed to put up a brave show in the recently-concluded World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at the Oval. Pujara had a dismal show in both the innings of the marquee game.

Moreover, Pujara has been going through a lean path in 2021 with just two centuries to show.

Notably, BCCI is yet to announce the T20 squad for the West Indies tour.