Forgotten India Pacer Umran Malik Handed Duleep Trophy Lifeline After Dengue Scare

Indian pacer Umran Malik said that he feels better after recovering from dengue and is focused on preparing for the Duleep Trophy, which will start from September 5 onwards. Umran has finally recovered from the disease and has joined the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, where he is going to prepare for the upcoming domestic season. Speaking to ANI, Umran said, "I am feeling better and now I am fully focused on the preparation of the Duleep trophy at NCA. I hope, I will be doing good in this season for my team."

Umran made his international debut for India in 2022 and since then, has played 10 ODIs and eight T20Is for India, picking up 13 and 11 wickets respectively in both formats. His best bowling figures across both formats is 3/48.

Having made his first-class cricket debut in 2021, Umran has taken 16 wickets in 12 games at an average of 44.62, with the best figures of 3/25.

Umran rose to fame with his fantastic bowling performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, taking 22 wickets in 14 games for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at an average of 20.18, including a five-wicket haul. He was the team's leading wicket-taker and overall fourth-highest wicket-taker that season.

The Duleep Trophy, which marks the beginning of red-ball cricket in the domestic season, will feature top India stars from the international circuit and emerging talents competing at the highest level.

The tournament is set to begin on September 5, 2024, in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh and M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.

The four squads for the first round of the tournament:

Team A: Shubman Gill (C), Mayank Agarwal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, KL Rahul, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Tanush Kotian, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna,