The Duleep Trophy 2024-25, beginning on September 5, will see significant absences as key players like Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, and Ravindra Jadeja have been ruled out of the first round. Siraj and Malik are suffering from illnesses, while Jadeja has been released with no specific reason provided. Replacements have been named for Siraj and Malik, with Navdeep Saini and Gaurav Yadav stepping in, respectively. This tournament is crucial for India’s domestic red-ball season, featuring top players like Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, and serves as preparation for upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia. Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has criticized the decision to rest senior players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah, believing they should participate to stay match-fit.