Led by senior India batsman Ajinkya Rahane, West Zone became the 2022 Duleep Trophy Champions by defeating South Zone, who were captained by another Indian Test batter, Hanuma Vihari.
After conceding a trial of 57 runs in the first innings, West Zone made a brilliant comeback, courtesy of a double ton by Yashasvi Jaiswal, and piled up 585, setting a massive target of 529 for South Zone, who then crumbled for 234.
There were a few standout performers from the 6-team tournament.
Here are 4 players who performed brilliantly in the Duleep Trophy 2022 and have made a mark on the India selectors:
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Nobody left a bigger print in the Duleep Trophy 2022 than the 20-year-old opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. The left-handed opener slammed a double century – 265 runs off 323 balls – in the final, following it up from the 228 he hit against North-East. He finished with 497 runs in 5 innings at an average of 99.
Jaydev Unadkat
Jaydev Unadkat has continued his excellent form in red-ball, domestic first-class cricket while continuously being harshly ignored by the national selectors. The left-arm seamer played a significant role in West Zone’s title win by taking 13 wickets at a bowling average of only 14, including 6 wickets in the final.
Unadkat played his only Test match for India in 2010. Maybe it’s time the national selectors give the 30-year-old another go in the Test arena.
Prithvi Shaw
Prithvi Shaw and his bat are making all the right noises. The swasbuckling opener once again proved himself as a game-changer with his quick, aggressive attacking batting – that not only yields him runs but also does it at a rapid rate: in 3 innings for West Zone, Shaw recorded scores of 113, 60 and 142 – these runs coming at a strike rate of 92! – before being called up for India A’s white-ball matches against NZ A.
Shaw was dropped from the Indian after the 2020 Australia tour and has been ignored despite his belligerent and record-breaking batting performances in domestic cricket.
R Sai Kishore
25-year-old Tamil Nadu left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore, who played for South Zone, had a terrific Duleep Trophy season: Kishore snapped up 17 wickets- the most – in only 2 matches (4 innings) at a bowling average of 20 with the help of two five-wicket hauls, a best of 7/70. The Gujarat Titans spinner, who won the IPL 2022, has 76 wickets in 22 first-class matches.
