Duleep Trophy: Jayant replaces Mandeep as North Zone skipper

Haryana all-rounder Jayant Yadav will lead North Zone in the upcoming Duleep Trophy after senior batter Mandeep Singh was ruled out of the tournament owing to an injury, convenor of zonal committee Anirudh Chaudhry said on Thursday.

Punjab batter Nehal Wadhera, who has recently made an impression in IPL for Mumbai Indians and was in stand-by, has been named in the main squad.

"We received intimation this morning from the Punjab Cricket Association that  Mandeep Singh had gotten injured and would be unavailable for the Duleep Trophy," Chaudhry was quoted as saying in a press release.

"Pursuant thereto a video-conference was organised this evening with all the selectors of the North Zone Selection Committee and the same was chaired by Chetan Sharma. Selectors discussed the issue and unanimously decided that Nehal Wadhera would be the replacement for Mandeep Singh," the release further stated.

"Since Mandeep Singh was the Captain of the side, the Committee also picked Jayant Yadav to lead the North Zone team in the Duleep trophy," Chaudhry said.

North Zone will meet North East Zone in the quarter-final at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru from June 28 to July 1.