west zone has unveiled its team for 2026-27 Duleep Trophywith Ruturaj Gaikwad Appointed captain for the prestigious domestic tournament. The experienced Maharashtra batsman will lead a talented group full of established performers and exciting prospects as the team aims to reclaim the title. Mumbai all-rounder Shams Mulani has been named the vice-captain, while several familiar names from the Indian domestic circuit have also confirmed places in the squad.
The Duleep Trophy will kick off the 2026-27 Indian domestic season, with the tournament scheduled to begin on August 23 at the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Experienced core is the backbone of the team
The West Zone selection committee has selected a balanced team with a mix of experience and youth. Apart from Gaikwad and Mulani, the team includes trusted actors from Mumbai Shardul ThakurSarfaraz Khan, Musheer Khan, Tushar Deshpande And Tanush KotianAll of them have consistently impressed in domestic cricket in recent seasons.
Gaikwad’s appointment as captain follows another important leadership role in Indian cricket. The 29-year-old recently served as vice-captain Tilak Verma During the India A tri-series in Sri Lanka and continued captaining Chennai Super Kings In the Indian Premier League. His growing leadership experience makes him a natural choice to guide the West Region.
Wicketkeeper is also included in the team Harvik Desaibatsman Jaymeet Patel And Urvil Patelwith all-rounders atit sheth And Shivalik Sharma. left arm spinner Siddharth Desai and fast bowler Mukesh Chaudhary Further strengthening the bowling department, which will give the team many options in different conditions.
Also read: Duleep Trophy to kick off season as BCCI unveils massive 2026-27 domestic calendar
Prithvi Shaw was recalled as Ayush Mhatre missed out.
The biggest topic of discussion in the team announcement is their inclusion. Prithvi Shaw. Having switched from Mumbai to Maharashtra ahead of last season, Shaw has made it into the West Zone team after a few years of inconsistent performances in domestic and franchise cricket. The right-handed opening batsman was first selected for the Duleep Trophy as a talented 17-year-old in 2017, but since then his career has seen many ups and downs. He was overlooked for last season’s West Zone team and has not featured in any IPL matches since the 2024 edition.
The upcoming tournament now presents an ideal platform for Shaw to rebuild momentum and make a strong statement at the start of the domestic campaign. A good performance in the Duleep Trophy could greatly boost his chances for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, Mumbai’s young batsman Ayush Mhatre Has been ruled out of IPL 2026 after missing the latter stages due to injury. The 19-year-old player could not recover in time to earn a place in the team.
West Zone will also be keen to improve on last year’s performance. They were defeated in the semi-finals by Central Zone, who advanced on the basis of first innings lead, and ultimately won the championship.
West Zone squad for Duleep Trophy 2026-27
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 Chaudhary.