BENGALURU: From the selectors' point of view, the Duleep Trophy serves an important purpose, as it allows them to judge the form of top players and get a good look at greenhorns waiting to get their foot on the door in international red-ball cricket.
This year, the opening round fixtures were meant to be a dress rehearsal for the 10 Test matches India play over the next four months. Some caught the eye, while others failed to grab the opportunity. Rishabh Pant (61), who did little in the first innings, came good with the bat for India 'B' with a half-century on Saturday. Then top-order bat KL Rahul (57; 121; 4x7) got amongst the runs, albeit in a losing cause.
