India’s veteran Test specialists Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara have once again been overlooked, this time not just by the national selectors, but also in the West Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy 2025. Despite consistently performing in domestic cricket, both stalwarts have failed to find a place in the team, raising serious questions about their future in competitive cricket.

The West Zone team for Duleep Trophy 2025, scheduled to begin on August 28, was announced recently, with Shardul Thakur appointed as captain. The squad includes several top performers like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Sarfaraz Khan, and Ruturaj Gaikwad, but the absence of Rahane and Pujara has caught the attention of fans and cricket experts alike.

Cheteshwar Pujara last played for Team India in the 2023 series against Australia. Since then, he has continued to grind in the domestic circuit, with his last first-class appearance coming against Gujarat in February 2025 and his last List A match in December 2023 against Sikkim. Despite his experience and proven ability in red-ball cricket, selectors seem to have moved on from him.

Similarly, Ajinkya Rahane, who also played his final international match in 2023 against the West Indies, last represented Mumbai against Vidarbha in early 2025. Like Pujara, he has struggled to reclaim his spot in the Indian team and now finds himself sidelined even from a zonal squad he once led.

The exclusion of both players from a key domestic tournament like the Duleep Trophy might be a strong indicator that their time in top-level cricket is nearing an end. While neither has officially announced retirement, the lack of opportunities at both national and zonal levels leaves little room for a comeback.

The Duleep Trophy 2025 will be played in an inter-zonal format featuring six zones. The final is set for September 15, and the tournament will be a crucial platform for young talents to push their case for national selection. With the likes of Harvik Desai, Manan Hingrajia, and Arjan Nagwaswala making the cut, it’s clear that selectors are focusing on grooming the next generation of players.

For now, Rahane and Pujara’s cricketing journey remains uncertain. Unless a spectacular turnaround happens in the domestic season or unforeseen injuries open up opportunities, this might very well be the quiet fading out of two of India’s most dependable Test matchmen of the last decade.