North Zone name 15-member squad for 2026-27 Duleep Trophy

The North Zone have named a 15-member squad for the 2026-27 Duleep Trophy, with the tournament scheduled to get underway on August 23. Jammu and Kashmir wicketkeeper-batter Kanhaiya Wadhawan has been appointed captain, with Delhi’s Ayush Badoni named as his deputy.

India’s left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh is one of the prominent names in the squad. A white-ball specialist at the international level, Arshdeep was part of India’s Test squad for the 2025 England tour, though a combination of injury and selection considerations meant he did not feature in any red-ball match. Haryana pacer Anshul Kamboj, who has similarly been in and around the Test setup without establishing a regular berth, has also earned a place in the side.

The selectors have rewarded Jammu and Kashmir’s Ranji Trophy title-winning campaign by including six players from the state, the highest representation from any single association in the squad. Delhi follow with four players.

Why have six Jammu and Kashmir players been selected for North Zone?

Jammu and Kashmir’s Ranji Trophy success has been a significant factor in the selection process. Captain Wadhawan is joined by opener Qamran Iqbal, all-rounder Abdul Samad, left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq, and seamers Sunil Kumar and Yudhvir Singh, all of whom contributed to that title-winning effort.

Veteran Jammu and Kashmir captain Paras Dogra, aged 41, was not considered for the squad. The rationale offered was that the Duleep Trophy serves as a stage for cricketers pushing for national recognition, a criterion that did not favour the experienced Dogra at this stage of his career. Pacer Auqib Nabi was also unavailable, as he is currently committed to national duty.

Which players from Delhi and other states feature in the North Zone squad?

Delhi contribute four players to the squad. Opener Sanat Sangwan, former Delhi captain Yash Dhull and middle-order batter Ayush Doseja join vice-captain Badoni in the group.

The spin and all-round department is covered by India A regular Nishant Sindhu alongside Abid Mushtaq and Arjun Sharma. Haryana’s Anshul Kamboj leads the pace attack in tandem with Arshdeep, Sunil Kumar and Yudhvir Singh, while Nikhil Kashyap rounds off the 15-member group.

North Zone full squad for 2026-27 Duleep Trophy

Kanhaiya Wadhawan (capt, wk), Sanat Sangwan, Qamran Iqbal, Yash Dhull, Ayush Doseja, Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni (vice-capt), Nishant Sindhu, Arjun Sharma, Abid Mushtaq, Arshdeep Singh, Sunil Kumar, Anshul Kamboj, Yudhvir Singh, Nikhil Kashyap

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