Archive · 23 Aug 2026
North Zone Selection Draws Scrutiny After Sangwan’s Duleep Trophy Omission
North Zone is playing West Zone in the Duleep Trophy.
The coaches left out Sanat Sangwan, who had scored many runs in the previous Ranji Trophy season.
They selected Yash Dhull, who is not a specialist opening batter.
Dhull had scored fewer runs in the latest Ranji season than Sangwan.
He then scored only 9 runs in the match.
Some people think the coaches may have preferred Dhull because of his recent performances in Delhi’s T20 league.
A Delhi cricket official said the coaches, rather than administrators, choose the playing eleven in zonal matches.
The decision has started a debate about whether national selectors should choose these teams instead.
Critics say Sangwan may have missed an important chance to impress India A selectors.
North Zone left out Sanat Sangwan, the Ranji Trophy’s third-highest run-getter, against West Zone in Bengaluru.
Sangwan scored 828 runs in the previous Ranji Trophy season for Delhi.
The team selected Yash Dhull, who scored 381 runs in the 2025-26 Ranji season, instead of Sangwan.
Dhull made 9 from 26 balls as North Zone was dismissed for 251 in its first innings.
The decision renewed calls for the Board of Control for Cricket in India to reconsider the zonal selection system.
- Who
- North Zone coaches Ajay Sharma and Sarandeep Singh, and players Sanat Sangwan and Yash Dhull.
- What
- North Zone omitted Sangwan from its Duleep Trophy quarter-final team and selected Dhull instead.
- When
- The match was reported on August 23; the India A home series against Australia A is scheduled for late September.
- Where
- The quarter-final is being played in Bengaluru, with the report datelined New Delhi.
- Why
- The coaches reportedly preferred Dhull, possibly influenced by his Delhi Premier League performances, while critics questioned why Sangwan’s stronger red-ball record was overlooked.
Critics of the selection
Defenders of the coaches’ authority
Sangwan’s omission
Critics of the selection
Critics argued that a specialist opener who scored 828 runs and ranked third among the previous Ranji Trophy season’s run-getters should have been selected.
Defenders of the coaches’ authority
The selection was made by the North Zone coaching staff, who are responsible for choosing the playing eleven in zonal matches.
Dhull’s selection
Critics of the selection
Critics questioned replacing Sangwan with Dhull, who scored 381 runs in the 2025-26 Ranji season and is not a specialist opener.
Defenders of the coaches’ authority
A senior Delhi cricket official suggested Dhull’s recent big scores in the Delhi Premier League may have influenced the decision.
Selection system
Critics of the selection
One view was that the Board of Control for Cricket in India should have national selectors choose the squads instead of relying on a zonal system that critics say can allow personal biases.
Defenders of the coaches’ authority
The current system leaves playing-eleven decisions for zonal matches with the designated coaches and team management.
- Match
- Duleep Trophy quarter-final between North Zone and West Zone
- North Zone first innings
- 251 runs
- Sanat Sangwan’s previous Ranji season
- 828 runs
- Sangwan’s Ranji ranking
- Third-highest run-getter in the previous season
- Yash Dhull’s 2025-26 Ranji season
- 381 runs
- Dhull’s match score
- 9 runs off 26 deliveries
- North Zone coaching staff
- Ajay Sharma, head coach, and Sarandeep Singh, assistant coach