A hamstring injury has put Yash Dhull‘s participation in the Duleep Trophy semi-final in serious doubt. The right-handed batter, who opens for North Zone, sustained a suspected grade two hamstring strain ahead of Sunday’s knockout fixture against South Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground, prompting team management to reassess their playing eleven.

“Though he was training today, Yash Dhull may just miss the semi-final clash due to a suspected grade two hamstring injury. It is understood that Uday Saharan could come into the squad in his place. This means chances of Sanat Sangwan playing the clash starting on Sunday are bright,” a source said as quoted by NDTV Sports.

Should Dhull be ruled out, specialist opener Sanat Sangwan is expected to slot back into the side and partner Qamran Iqbal at the top of the order. Uday Saharan, the former India Under-19 captain, has been called up as cover within the North Zone squad.

Why does Dhull’s injury revive a contentious selection debate?

The timing of the injury has brought renewed scrutiny to a decision that had already divided opinion. For the quarter-final against West Zone, the North Zone coaching staff of Ajay Sharma and Sarandeep Singh chose to drop Sangwan and hand Dhull an opening berth instead. That call attracted considerable attention given that Sangwan had finished as the third-highest run-scorer in the previous Ranji Trophy season.

Dhull, who captained India to the 2022 Men’s Under-19 World Cup title, had managed only 381 runs across the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season. Batting at the top against West Zone’s pace attack, he scored 9 and 0 and looked thoroughly uncomfortable at the crease, drawing further criticism of the team management’s approach. North Zone nevertheless won that quarter-final by 52 runs, arriving at the semi-final stage with strong momentum. India pacer Gurnoor Brar has also joined the squad ahead of Sunday’s match, strengthening their bowling options.

What other squad changes has North Zone made ahead of the semi-final?

Beyond the Dhull situation, the same source confirmed additional squad movements

“Sahil Lotra has also been released from the squad, while Ayush Badoni should be fine to play after recovering from a bout of fever,” the same source added.

North Zone will face a South Zone outfit that reached the semi-finals as last year’s runners-up. Tilak Varma, India’s T20I vice-captain, leads the southern side, with Ricky Bhui, Shaik Rasheed, Narayan Jagadeesan and Karun Nair forming the core of their batting unit. The spin department features leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal alongside left-arm spinner Tanay Thyagarajan, while the pace attack is anchored by MD Nidheesh and Vidwath Kaverappa.

Devdutt Padikkal delivered an outstanding performance in the recently concluded Test series against Sri Lanka, establishing himself as a key player in India’s middle order. Padikkal was adjudged Player of the Series after accumulating 328 runs across three innings at an average of 109.33, including two centuries with a highest score of 167. India won the series 1-0, and Padikkal’s assured batting at number three emerged as a major positive for the team during the campaign.

Ajinkya Rahane, the former India captain, offered his assessment of Padikkal’s performance and prospects in the role. Speaking about the young batter’s immediate standing in the team, Rahane delivered his verdict on whether Padikkal had done enough to secure the position.

“I think he has temporarily sealed the No.3 spot. This is his own hard work, and I am happy with his performance. When they go to New Zealand, the conditions will be different, and preparation will have to be different. But for now, we can celebrate these two centuries,” Rahane said on his YouTube channel.

Rahane’s assessment of Padikkal’s batting approach

Rahane elaborated on what made Padikkal’s batting particularly impressive during the series. The former batter emphasised the importance of intent and authority when batting at number three, qualities he observed in Padikkal’s approach throughout the matches.

“The way Padikkal batted in both games, one thing was visible that how you look to dominate bowlers while playing at number three, and he did that. Scoring back-to-back hundreds is not easy. It is always important to be decisive as a batter, and he showed that. The intent was there,” Rahane added.

“He had all the shots. He got the opportunity, and he presented his case by batting with authority and the way he scored runs. He read the situation well,” he further noted.

Domestic form backing international success

Padikkal‘s domestic form in recent months also underscored his readiness for international cricket. In the Ranji Trophy, he accumulated 543 runs in six matches and 10 innings at an average of 60.33, including two centuries and one fifty. His standout knock of 232 runs came against Uttarakhand in the semifinal, demonstrating his ability to build substantial innings, though Karnataka finished runners-up in the tournament.

In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Padikkal was the second-highest run-scorer with 725 runs in nine innings at an average of 90.62, scoring four centuries and two fifties. This consistent domestic performance provided the foundation for his successful transition to Test cricket at number three.

Padikkal had replaced injured Sai Sudharsan in the Sri Lanka series, and his performance justified the opportunity given to him. His back-to-back centuries and the manner in which he accumulated runs demonstrated his readiness to handle the demands of Test cricket in the middle order.

Imran Khan, the 73-year-old former Pakistan cricket captain and prime minister, has been imprisoned since August 2023 on corruption charges. He was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment after being found guilty. Khan remains held in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where his health has become a growing concern among the international cricket community.

Former Australian cricketer Greg Chappell has publicly expressed alarm at Khan’s physical and mental state following recent observations. Chappell spoke on The Grade Cricketer podcast, describing the visible decline in the Pakistan legend’s condition over the past six years.

“At the moment, he’s not getting any better. You know, from a physical point of view, it’s hard to get information but I saw a video clip the other day, I’m assuming, of his latest trip to hospital where he was put into a wheelchair to get him to, from wherever he was, to wherever he was going, and he didn’t look well at all. He didn’t look robust. He didn’t look like he could really… get around very much.” Chappell said.

Chappell observes Khan’s physical decline

Chappell recalled meeting Khan in Pakistan approximately six years ago, when the former World Cup-winning captain appeared physically strong and mentally resilient. The contrast with Khan’s current state has deeply troubled Chappell, who witnessed Khan’s transformation firsthand.

“I mean, 73 years of age, so obviously, you know, he’s getting older, but, you know, I met up with him in Pakistan 6 years ago, and he was still a strong, robust older man. That’s not the case anymore. His right eye apparently [has developed a disability]… he’s struggling. He’s been in isolation for 3 years,” Chappell added.

Khan has reportedly suffered significant vision loss in his right eye due to central retinal vein occlusion, with his lawyer reporting 85 percent vision loss by February 2026. The condition was attributed to delayed medical treatment since October 2025. Khan underwent an eye procedure at a government hospital in January 2026, but a Supreme Court-ordered hospital stay lasted only a few hours before he was returned to jail.

The toll of prolonged isolation

The extended isolation and restricted access to basic amenities have compounded Khan’s health crisis. Chappell expressed concern about how prolonged confinement affects both mental and physical wellbeing, particularly for someone of Khan’s age and former stature.

“So, that’s not good for your mental health, and you know, as your mental health deteriorates, your physical health is going to deteriorate. He doesn’t have access, or his family doesn’t have access,” the Aussie noted.

Chappell concluded with a stark observation about the severity of Khan’s situation.

“I don’t know how anyone deals with that.”

The remark underscored the former cricketer’s belief that Khan’s circumstances represent an extraordinary hardship that few could endure.