Ruturaj Gaikwad to Lead West Zone in 2026-27 Duleep Trophy; Shams Mulani Named Vice-Captain

Ruturaj Gaikwad has been appointed captain of the West Zone squad for the 2026-27 Duleep Trophy, which is scheduled to begin on August 23 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. Left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Shams Mulani has been named vice-captain for the season-opening domestic tournament.

The 15-member squad features a strong Mumbai contingent, with six players earning selection. Among them are experienced all-rounder Shardul Thakur and batter Sarfaraz Khan. Former Mumbai opener Prithvi Shaw has also secured a place after an impressive debut Ranji Trophy season for Maharashtra, where he amassed 537 runs in 11 innings at an average of 48.84. His campaign included a blistering 222 off 156 balls against Chandigarh, which featured the third-fastest century in Ranji Trophy history.

Promising Mumbai batter Aayush Mhatre has not been considered for selection as he continues to recover from hamstring and wrist injuries. The 19-year-old, who missed the remainder of Chennai Super Kings' IPL 2026 campaign after six appearances, is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

Gaikwad is expected to bat in the middle order during the tournament, reflecting the role he envisions for himself in red-ball cricket. The 29-year-old recently represented India A, contributing to the team's victories in both the one-day tri-series and the four-day series in Sri Lanka.

Saurashtra wicketkeeper Harvik Desai is likely to be the first-choice gloveman, with Gujarat's Urvil Patel serving as the backup. Mumbai all-rounder Musheer Khan has also been rewarded with a call-up after an impressive 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, during which he scored 446 runs and claimed 16 wickets.

West Zone's spin attack will be spearheaded by Mumbai duo Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian, while Gujarat left-arm spinner Siddharth Desai provides another potent option after taking 45 wickets at an average of 18.42 in the previous Ranji Trophy season.

The six-team Duleep Trophy will be played from August 23 to September 10 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. West Zone will aim to improve on last season's performance after being knocked out by eventual champions Central Zone in the semi-finals.

West Zone Squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Shams Mulani (vice-captain), Shardul Thakur, Sarfaraz Khan, Musheer Khan, Tushar Deshpande, Tanush Kotian, Harvik Desai (wk), Jaymeet Patel, Urvil Patel, Siddharth Desai, Atit Sheth, Prithvi Shaw, Shivalik Sharma and Mukesh Choudhary.