Zeeshan Ansari earns Central Zone Duleep Trophy call after five-year red-ball absence
Zeeshan Ansari was named in Central Zone's squad for the Duleep Trophy on August 25, 2026, completing a return to red-ball cricket after not featuring in the Ranji Trophy since 2020 for Uttar Pradesh.
Ansari spent nearly five years away from Ranji cricket before a renewed run of domestic form and a stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad helped revive his career. At SRH he worked closely with Muttiah Muralitharan and Daniel Vettori, which he credits with altering his approach to bowling. "When I was in SRH, I benefited a lot from Muttiah Muralitharan and Daniel Vettori. They told me a lot of things about bowling that I did not know. Whatever I learnt from them has helped me a lot. If I keep doing the same things, my graph will improve," Ansari told PTI.
After returning strongly for Uttar Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Ansari earned an India A call-up before receiving his Central Zone selection for the Duleep Trophy. Those moves followed the period in which his first-class opportunities had effectively stalled.
Ansari also received input from Piyush Chawla during the UP T20 League, a contact he says came after Chawla watched him bowl. "I have spoken to Piyush Chawla twice in the UP T20. He told me that I am bowling really well and gave me some advice. I am learning as much as I can from them. They are helping me a lot," he said.
His performances in the UP T20 League underline his recent form: he is the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets from six matches, and his Meerut Mavericks side has won all six of their games. The competition has served as preparation but Ansari and his coaches view red-ball cricket as requiring a different standard of patience and consistency.
On that subject Ansari spelled out the adjustments he thinks are needed for success in longer formats. "I think the bowling I am doing here and the bowling I want to do in red-ball cricket require a lot of consistency. If I go there and keep bowling, use the air well, understand the batsman and not let him do what he wants to do, it will help me a lot," he said.
Ansari says he is focused on immediate performances rather than dwelling on what has passed. "I don't think too much about my future. I forget about the past. I don't remember what I did yesterday. I just want to perform well in tomorrow's match and win for the team," he said, and his next assignment is the Duleep Trophy, where he can apply the lessons learned from Muralitharan and Vettori and test how far those changes will take him.
