The selectors made their assessment over the last weekend, based on their observations in Bengaluru and Anantapur during the opening round of the 2024 Duleep Trophy, to narrow in on the 16-member list for the first Test match against Bangladesh, slated to begin next Thursday in Chennai. But hope is not entirely lost for players who did not find their names on that list. With two more rounds left in the domestic red-ball contest, round two set to begin at the same two venues starting September 12, the Ajit Agarkar-led committee, along with new India head coach Gautam Gambhir will keep their eyes on the proceedings not only to make possible changes for the second Test against Bangladesh later this month, but to keep a pool of back-ups ready for the long Test calendar ahead, which includes the New Zealand contest at home on October and the tour of Australia in December.

Which India hopefuls will be in focus in Duleep Trophy round two?

India D captain Shreyas Iyer, looking for a return to Test cricket since being dropped from the Indian team midway through the England series at home in February, was the most notable miss-outs from the national squad for the opening Test against Bangladesh. He may not have made a significant return to red-ball action, which includes his lone appearance in the pre-season Buchi Babu tournament last month, but he showed a glimpse of his abilities with a fiery knock of 54 against India C last week in the first round of Duleep Trophy. Amid stiff competition in the middle-order line-up, which comprises KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan, Iyer could only aim for a mountain of runs in the next two matches to find himself back in the national reckoning.

With national regulars missing in the second round, the focus will shift to Rinku Singh, who was surprisingly not named for the opening round of the Duleep Trophy. And, the left-hander will look to prove that he is as handy a batter in the traditional format as he is in T20 cricket.

Mayank Agarwal, who will lead India A after Shubman Gill left the side to join the national team, will be hoping to seal the backup opening slot amid competition from Sai Sudharsan and Ruturaj Gaikwad. The India opener last donned the national colour in Test cricket in March 2022.

Other batters who will be hoping to impress Agarkar and Gambhir are Rajat Patidar, who was dropped from the Indian team following a disastrous debut series against England, Devdutt Padikkal, who made a Test debut against the Ben Stokes-led side in Dharamsala earlier this year and scored a fifty last week in Duleep Trophy, and Sanju Samson, who was a notable name missing from India D's playing XI against India C.

One of the significant tasks for the selectors through these domestic tournaments will be to create a pool of fast bowlers. Akash Deep nudged ahead in the race after a nine-wicket haul, which included a second-innings fifer, in the opening round of the Duleep Trophy last week, in addition to a knock of 43. But round two of the tournament will offer a chance to the likes of Mukesh Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Prasidh Krishna, who missed the opener having not fully completed his rehab for a left quadriceps tendon.

Among the spinners, left-armer Manav Suthar will be hoping to build his reputation after a match-winning fifer last week against India D, while India B's Washington Sundar will be aiming to keep himself in the mix for all formats with his all-round abilities.

Another missed opportunity for Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav

Ishan made a fabulous comeback to red-ball action for the first time since his Test debut in the summer of 2023 in the West Indies, with a match-winning century in the Buchi Babu tournament last month. However, an injury during the invitational event denied him a shot at a potential comeback to the Indian Test squad as he was dropped from the opening round of the Duleep Trophy.

India T20I captain Suryakumar, who made his intentions clear of wanting to represent the national team across formats and add to his lone Test representation 19 months back, too suffered a similar fate. The India batter had sprained his hand during the Buchi Babu tournament.

However, with BCCI sharing no update on their respective injuries, it remains another lost opportunity for the Mumbai Indians boys to make a Test return.

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