Duleep Trophy 2025: SS Nawale becomes first serious injury replacement substitute, replaces Harvik Desai in West Zone team

Maharashtra player Saurabh Nawale became the first serious injury replacement substitute on Sunday when he replaced wicketkeeper-batter Harvik Desai in the West Zone side during the Duleep Trophy semifinal against Central Zone in Bengaluru.

Nawale walked out to bat in the second innings after Harvik Desai reportedly suffered a quadriceps injury.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India had introduced this rule for the 2025/26 domestic season to provide like-for-like replacements for players who suffer serious injuries during a multi-day match.

Nawale had played 11 First-Class games and scored 697 runs at an average of 43.6, which includes six half-centuries and one hundred.

Published on Sep 07, 2025