New Delhi, Aug. 1 -- Indian batting veterans Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara missed out, while Shardul Thakur will be leading a star-studded West Zone squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy.

The competition, to be held from August 28 to September 15, will mark the start of the Indian domestic season 2025-26. Last year, the tournament shifted from its usual zonal format to having four different Indian squads, A, B, C and D, selected by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). International names like Axar Patel, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav were among players who took part in the tournament. This year, the tournament will revert to its zonal format, with six teams playing: North, Sout...