MUMBAI: Despite being IPL 2023 champions Chennai Super Kings' top wicket-taker in IPL 2023, with 21 scalps in 16 games@26.85, Mumbai pacer Tushar Deshpande was ignored by the West Zone selection committee, led by former India pacer Raju Kulkarni when they picked the West Zone squad for the Deodhar Trophy, at BKC on Monday.
The Deodhar Trophy- an inter-zonal one-day tournament, is being revived after a gap of four years, and will be played at Puducherry from July 24-August 3. Gujarat opener Priyank Panchal, who is currently leading West Zone in the Duleep Trophy, will be the captain in the Deodhar Trophy too.
Deshpande has been named amongst the standbys. He had been named in the standbys of the Duleep Trophy too, before replacing an injured Chetan Sakaria in the squad.
Deshpande can clock around 140 clicks and was MS Dhoni's main quick bowler in the last IPL.
Curiously, opener Prithvi Shaw has been included in the West Zone squad despite the Mumbai batsman set to leave for England to play in County cricket for Northamptonshire.
Meanwhile, Mumbai big-hitter Shivam Dube, who played key role in CSK's IPL-2023 title march, smashing 418 runs in 16 matches@38.00, at a strike rate of 158.33, with 3 fifties under his belt, in a tally that included 35 sixes, was included the side. CSK's Maharashtra seam bowling all-rounder Rajvardhan Hangarkekar too has found a place. Gujarat pacer Arzan Nagwaswala, who took 5-74 against Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy, has been picked too.
Despite his consistent performances last season, Mumbai off-spinner Tanush Kotian was ignored from the Deodhar Trophy too.
The squad: Priyank Panchal (c), Prithvi Shaw, Rahul Tripathi, Harvik Desai, Het Patel, Sarfaraz Khan, Ankit Bawne, Samarth Vyas, Shivam Dube, Atit Seth, Parth Bhut, Shams Mulani, Arzan Nagwaswala, Chintan Gaja, Rajvardhan Hangargekar
Standbys: Chetan Sakaria, Tushar Deshpande, Yuvraj Dhodiya, Abu Kazi, Kathan Patel
