Thakur and Dubey have both been included in the India ‘A’ squad for the 2 multi-day matches against Australia ‘A’ to be played in Lucknow. Central Zone selectors also named Kuldeep Sen and Ajay Singh Kukna as replacements for Khaleel Ahmed and Manav Suthar, respectively.
Bhute is the seventh Vidarbha player to be picked for the Central Zone side. Danish Malewar, Yash Rathod, Aditya Thakare and Harsh Dubey were initially picked in the 15-member squad named on August 7. All four players featured in Central Zone’s playing XI in the quarter-final win over North-East Zone with Malewar hitting a double century (203). Rathod made an unbeaten 87 and 78, while Dubey scalped two wickets in each innings. Thakare claimed 3/23 in the first innings.
Thakur, who was initially named as a stand-by, was drafted into the playing XI in place of Kuldeep Yadav after the latter was picked for the Indian team. Thakur played in the semi-final against West Zone, which Central Zone won by virtue of their first-innings lead.
Vidarbha captain Akshay Wadkar was called into the Central Zone squad as a replacement for the injured Aryan Jurel, but is yet to feature in the playing XI. Vidarbha’s Ranji Trophy winning coach Usman Ghani is the head coach of the team.
Central zone team
Rajat Patidar (MPCA) --- Captain, Ayush Pandey (CSCS), Danish Malewar (VCA), Shubham Sharma (MPCA), Sanchit Desai (CSCS), Yash Rathod (VCA), Nachiket Bhute (VCA), Kumar Kartikeya Singh (MPCA), Aditya Thakare (VCA), Upendra Yadav (RSPB) --- WK, Ajay Singh Kukna (RCA), Akshay Wadkar (VCA) – WK, Deepak Chahar (RCA), Kuldeep Sen (MPCA), Saransh Jain (MPCA)