Star India batter Ruturaj Gaikwad is set to captain West Zone in the upcoming Duleep Trophy, with Mumbai all-rounder Shams Mulani appointed as his deputy for the domestic season opener beginning on Sunday, August 23. The six-team tournament will mark the start of the Indian red-ball season and will be played at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

West Zone’s squad has a strong Mumbai core, with six players from the state making the cut. Senior all-rounder Shardul Thakur and stylish middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan are both part of the group, while former Mumbai opener Prithvi Shaw has also earned a recall after an impressive Ranji Trophy campaign for Maharashtra.

Shaw enjoyed a productive season with the bat, scoring 537 runs in 11 innings at an average of 48.84. His standout effort came against Chandigarh, where he smashed a blazing 222 off 156 balls and registered one of the fastest centuries in the tournament’s history.

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Teenage batter Aayush Mhatre, however, was not considered for selection as he continues to recover from hamstring and wrist injuries. The setbacks forced him out of the remainder of Chennai Super Kings’ IPL 2026 campaign after six appearances. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒:

Ruturai Gaikwad leads West Zone in the upcoming Duleep Trophy, with Shams Mulani as his deputy. Key players include Shardul Thakur, Sarfaraz Khan, and others, with the tournament set from August 23 to September 10.#india #ruturajgaikwad #domestic pic.twitter.com/ShEQZa1dwi

— Cric 360 Cricket (@Cric360_Cricket) July 21, 2026

According to a Cricinfo report, Gaikwad is expected to bat in the middle order, a role he feels best suits his game in the longer format. The India A regular recently featured in Sri Lanka, where he played a key role in series wins in both the one-day tri-series and the four-day matches.

Saurashtra wicketkeeper Harvik Desai is set to be the first-choice keeper, with Gujarat’s Urvil Patel as the backup option. The selectors have also rewarded Mumbai all-rounder Musheer Khan with a maiden call-up after a fine 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season in which he scored 446 runs and picked up 16 wickets.

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The spin attack will be led by Mulani and Tanush Kotian, while Gujarat left-arm spinner Siddharth Desai adds further depth after taking 45 wickets last Ranji season at an excellent average of 18.42. West Zone reached the semi-finals in the previous Duleep Trophy before losing to eventual champions Central Zone. Gaikwad, meanwhile, had scored a century in that semifinal, underlining his growing stature in red-ball cricket.