New Delhi, Aug 28: The Duleep Trophy, India’s storied inter-zonal red-ball competition, kicks off on Thursday (August 28) in Bengaluru with a throwback to its traditional zonal format.
North Zone will face East Zone and Central Zone will clash with North East Zone in the opening quarterfinals, while South Zone and West Zone, the 2023 finalists, will begin directly from the semifinals. All the matches will be played at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, Bengaluru.
Once a jewel of Indian domestic cricket, the Duleep Trophy has had its share of ups and downs – shuffled formats, waning attention, and a crowded international calendar have diluted its aura. Yet, its relevance today, especially in the context of India’s red-ball future, cannot be understated.
A Tournament Steeped in History
First played in 1961-62, the Duleep Trophy was instituted to provide quality red-ball exposure beyond the Ranji Trophy. Its unique format – pitting India’s five cricketing zones (North, South, East, West, Central) against each other – allowed the best talents across states to unite, test themselves, and catch the selectors’ eyes. For decades, it was an unofficial audition for an India call-up.
Names like Sunil Gavaskar, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, and MS Dhoni all sharpened their red-ball credentials in the Duleep Trophy before sealing their Test spots.
Format Changes and Loss of Shine
Over the last decade, frequent format tweaks – from zonal to four teams to even experimenting with India ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ – left the competition in flux. Add to that the unforgiving international schedule, where leading stars seldom featured, and the tournament lost its role as a proper Test selection platform.
Yet, the BCCI’s March 2025 directive – mandating contracted players to play domestic cricket when available – has revived interest. With fewer international assignments this year, several top players will feature, making the tournament competitive again.
Why Duleep Trophy Matters?
1. Audition for Test spots: India’s red-ball team is in transition. With Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, and Cheteshwar Pujara retired, and Rishabh Pant still injured, the selectors are looking for reliable middle-order options. Shreyas Iyer and Sarfaraz Khan, both out of favour, will see this as a chance to reignite their Test careers.
2. Bowling battles: Kuldeep Yadav, ignored during the England tour, is eager to prove his red-ball worth. Mohammed Shami’s return for East Zone makes this edition a crucial fitness test. R Sai Kishore (South Zone) has been making a lot of impact for Tamil Nadu, but continues to be sidelined in the national side. The left-arm spinner would be looking to present a case for Test call up ahead of West Indies and South Africa Tests. The likes of Arshdeep Singh and Anshul Kamboj (North) and Mukesh Kumar (East) bring strong fast-bowling depth.
3. Domestic stalwarts in focus: Abhimanyu Easwaran (East), Rajat Patidar (Central), Ishan Kishan (East), Devdutt Padikkal (South), Ruturaj Gaikwad (West), and N Jagadeesan remain on the fringes of Test cricket. A strong Duleep showing could reopen doors.
4. Testing BCCI’s new rules: For the first time, the “serious injury replacement substitute” rule will be trialed, adding a modern twist to an old tournament.
The Star Power Factor
While big names like KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, and Ravindra Jadeja have been rested post-England tour, the presence of India hopefuls keeps the competition meaningful. Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from the Asia Cup squad has made this his best chance to push for a Test comeback. Similarly, Sarfaraz Khan, fresh off twin centuries in the Buchi Babu Invitational, and Ruturaj Gaikwad have momentum on their side.
Kickstarting the Domestic Season
As the curtain-raiser for India’s domestic calendar, the Duleep Trophy sets the tone for the Ranji Trophy and other red-ball competitions. Performances here are often fresher in selectors’ minds when Test squads are picked for the home season, especially with India set to host South Africa in October.
Why Fans Should Care
For the average cricket fan, the Duleep Trophy may not match the glitz of the IPL or the instant thrill of T20s. But it remains one of the few tournaments that still emphasizes the grind of long-format cricket. For India, a country desperate to regain supremacy in Tests after the England loss, it is here that the next generation of dependable red-ball players will emerge.