Cricket Player Fails Fitness Test, Dropped From Team; Another Player Gets Chance

Vijaykumar Vyshak was slated to play for the South Zone against the North Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final, commencing on 4 September. However, due to failing a fitness test, he has been replaced by Vasuki Kaushik in the South Zone squad.

Indian cricket team players underwent fitness tests at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)'s Centre of Excellence (COI) in preparation for the Asia Cup 2025 and the upcoming domestic season. Star cricketers like Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj successfully cleared the test, with fast bowler Prasidh Krishna impressing everyone by scoring the highest marks. However, fast bowler Vijaykumar Vyshak failed the fitness test, resulting in his exclusion from the Duleep Trophy semi-final.

Vasuki Koushik Replaces Vijaykumar Vyshak

According to a report in the Times of India, Vijaykumar Vyshak was slated to play for the South Zone against the North Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final starting September 4th. However, his failure in the fitness test led to his replacement by Vasuki Koushik in the South Zone squad. This is a significant setback for Vijaykumar, who had recently returned to the field after recovering from an injury.

Vijaykumar's Career and IPL 2025 Performance

Vijaykumar Vyshak has been a key fast bowler for Karnataka in domestic cricket. He has taken 103 wickets in 26 first-class matches. In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, he played for Punjab Kings (PBKS), taking 4 wickets in 5 matches. His return after recovering from injury was highly anticipated, but his failure in the fitness test has presented new challenges for him.

Dhruv Jurel Unavailable Due to Injury

Wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel could not participate in the fitness test due to injury. His absence has also sparked discussion, as he is a rising name among young players. The BCCI is now monitoring his recovery so that he can return to the field as soon as possible.

South Zone Squad for Semi-final

Mohammed Azharuddin (Captain and Wicketkeeper), Tanmay Agarwal, Devdutt Padikkal, Mohit Kale, Salman Nizhar, N Jagadeesan (Vice-captain and Wicketkeeper), T Vijay, Tanay Tyagirajan, Vasuki Koushik, MD Nidhish, Ricky Bhui, Basil NP, Gurjapneet Singh, Snehal Kauthankar, Ankit Kumar, Sheikh Rashid.