The Duleep Trophy gives us another chance to see unseen talent get their shot and seasoned performers deliver another round of red-ball entertainment. For Punjab Kings, that means three of our own stepping into the spotlight across three zones, each with a different point to prove.

Arshdeep Singh - North Zone

Arshdeep leads our pace attack, but this is a different kind of over. Named in Kanhaiya Wadhawan's North Zone squad, Arsh paaji returns to red-ball cricket for the first time since last season's Duleep Trophy quarterfinal against East Zone and he will be eager to showcase his profound experience and vigor with the new ball. The North Zone fell short of making the 2025 final last year, and this time, they would love to add to their tally of Duleep Trophy titles through a Sadda Arshdeep special.

Musheer Khan - West Zone

A different kind of test awaits Musheer, who's part of a stacked West Zone unit that features heavy-hitting Maharashtra duo Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain) and Prithvi Shaw, and Mumbai teammates and all-rounders Shardul Thakur and Shams Mulani. His last non-franchise domestic outing saw him rake up 446 runs and 16 wickets in the 2025-26 Ranji season, and this latest assignment offers Punjab fans a fresh opportunity to witness the “Musheer Magic” that we know of.

Yash Thakur - Central Zone

Yash Thakur, with 93 first-class wickets under his belt, joins Rajat Patidar's Central Zone squad that aims for a back-to-back after ending a decade-long title drought last season. The speedster from Vidarbha recently made his foray into international cricket with the Zimbabwe T20I series and will look to carry the momentum and confidence into the upcoming red-ball tournament.

Three Kings, three zones, one shared stage. North Zone begins their campaign against West Zone, while Central Zone - by virtue of reaching last season's final - has received a straight semis ticket. The tournament runs through September 10 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, and we'll be watching every one of them.

Jazba never takes a break - not even in the off-season.