Team India star misses 2025 Duleep Trophy opener due to groin niggle: Reports

Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel has reportedly missed Central Zone's Duleep Trophy 2025 quarterfinal against North East Zone again due to a groin injury. A Times of India report said that the 24-year-old chose not to play, following advice from the selectors with more important events like the Asia Cup approaching.

Jurel was selected for the Central Zone squad for the tournament that began in Bengaluru on Thursday, August 28. Aryan Juyal was included as the wicketkeeper-batter in the playing XI for the match in Jurel's absence.

"Jurel has picked up a groin niggle on the eve of the match and he has been asked to skip this match by the selectors," A BCCI source told Times of India.

The report also stated that the selectors wanted to avoid taking any risks since Jurel has been chosen as a standby for the Asia Cup 2025, which begins in September 7.

"He is also in the standbys of the Asia Cup squad and the selectors don't want to take any risk. Right after the Asia Cup, India will be playing four Test matches at home and with uncertainty over (Rishabh) Pant's injury, Jurel has been asked not to take any risk," the source said.

Abhimanyu Easwaran misses Duleep Trophy quarterfinal due to a flu

The report also said that top-order batsman Abhimanyu Easwaran was ruled out of East Zone's Duleep Trophy 2025 quarterfinal match against North Zone because he had caught the flu on the morning of the game. In his absence, Riyan Parag led East Zone.

Easwaran was appointed the East Zone captain after Ishan Kishan was ruled out due to injury. The 29-year-old right-handed batter was part of the Indian squad for the five-Test series against England but did not get to play in any of the matches.

His father, Ranganathan Easwaran, said that the batter seemed a bit depressed after not getting a chance to play for the country.