What is Duleep Trophy? Why are top Indian players participating in it?

Domestic matches conducted by BCCI provides a platform to all the players in the circuit to showcase their talent. Players work hard throughout the year, to do well in such matches. The opportunities provided to them here is a litmus test. It helps in bringing the best lot of players forward, basically the cream of domestic circuit. The cream comprises of those who have the skill level and also who have the mental ability to sustain pressure. One such domestic tournament conducted almost every year by the BCCI is Duleep Trophy. Performing in these matches is very crucial as talent doesn’t get unnoticed here. Doing well here can help one earn an India call as well as all the selectors and senior players diligently follow the ongoings in Duleep

The first edition of Duleep Trophy was conducted in 1961-62 and since then it is being held almost every year in some or the other form. The tournament is named after former cricketer Duleepsinhji and comprises 6 teams representing different zones- south, east, north, south, central, north east. The number of teams keep changing though. It is conducted in round robin format/ knockout basis.

Usually the players are selected as per their zones, but in 2016-17, zonal teams were replaced by India blue, green, red. Presently, in the 2026 season, the teams are formed on the basis of zones only. 

Duleep Trophy: How are players selected?

Players are selected on the basis of their performance in inter state matches like in Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy etc. Those who do well either with bat or ball are given a chance in Duleep Trophy and hence the best players from all the zones get to compete against each other. Some top level of cricket is witnessed in these matches as best players from the length and breadth of the country are picked. So, if any player wants to get featured in these high level competition, they have to take dozens of wickets or score plenty of runs in inter-state matches. Interestingly, women cricketers too get to play at zone level. But their tournament is called Challenger Trophy and not Duleep Trophy. The women’s Challenger Trophy is conducted in all the three formats- Days, T20 and One day. Just like Duleep Trophy, best players from different zones are picked to play the Challengers Trophy. 

Statistics in Duleep Trophy

Last champion: Central zone 

Most successful: West zone - 19 times champion 

Most runs: Wasim Jaffer(2545 runs)

Most wickets: Narendra Hirwani (126)

Highest score: Raman Lamba 320 vs West zone in 1987-88 season

Most hundreds: Anshuman Gaekwad (9)

Highest partnership: VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid (409 vs South Zone)

Highest score : North zone (868 vs West Zone)

Lowest score: North Zone (48 vs South zone) and East Zone (48 vs South Zone)

Most matches: Mohinder Amarnath (31 for North zone)

Most dismissals by a wicketkeeper: Parthiv Patel (88)

Division of zones

2026-27 Duleep Trophy 

The next edition of Duleep Trophy will be played 23rd August, 2026 till 6 September, 2026. Central Zone and South Zone are pre qualified for semi finals. The first two matches will be played between East Zone and North East Zone at venue 1 and between North Zone and West Zone at venue 2. In all, it will be a good contest as best players from India will be given a platform to compete. All the matches will be held at the cricketing hub: Centre of Excellence. 

This year’s Duleep Trophy will grab a huge attention as young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is named the vice captain of one of the teams. The selectors have already seen a glimpse of his talent at the highest level and now, with the new captaincy duties, it will be interesting to see how he shines when all eyes will be on him.

Complete list of squads

North Zone Duleep Trophy squad: Kanhaiya Wadhawan (captain & wicketkeeper), Ayush Badoni (vice-captain), Sanat Sangwan, Yash Dhull, Ayush Doseja, Nishant Sindhu, Anshul Kamboj, Nikhil Kashyap, Qamran Iqbal, Abdul Samad, Abid Mushtaq, Sunil Kumar, Yudhvir Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Arjun Sharma

South Zone Duleep Trophy squad: Tilak Varma (captain), Ricky Bhui (vice-captain & wicketkeeper), SK Rasheed, K Sai Teja, T Vijay, Abhinav Tejrana, K Himateja, T Thyagarajan, R Smaran, Karun Nair, Shreyas Gopal, V Kaverappa, MD Nidheesh, N Jagadeesan (wicketkeeper), Aman Khan

East Zone Duleep Trophy squad: Ishan Kishan (captain & wicketkeeper), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (vice-captain), Denish Das, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Kumar Gharami, Shahbaz Ahmed, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper), Shikhar Mohan, Anukul Roy, Virat Singh, Subhranshu Senapati, Abhijit Sarkar

West Zone Duleep Trophy squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Shams Mulani (vice-captain), Atit Sheth, Shivalik Sharma, Jaymeet Patel, Urvil Patel (wicketkeeper), Siddharth Desai, Prithvi Shaw, Mukesh Choudhary, Shardul Thakur, Musheer Khan, Tushar Deshpande, Tanush Kotian, Harvik Desai (wicketkeeper), Jay Gohil

Central Zone Duleep Trophy squad: Rajat Patidar (captain), Rinku Singh (vice-captain), Ayush Pandey, Saransh Jain, Aryan Pandey, Arshad Khan, Kunal Singh Rathod (wicketkeeper), Aryan Juyal (wicketkeeper), Zeeshan Ansari, Kunal Chandela, Aman Mokhade, Yash Rathod, Harsh Dubey, Yash Thakur, Nachiket Bhute

North East Zone Duleep Trophy squad: Jonathan Rongsen (captain), Bishworjit Singh Konthoujam (vice-captain), Techi Neri, Priyojit K, Ronald Meitei, Jotin Singh Pheiroijam, Kishan Lyngdoh, Arpit Subhas (wicketkeeper), Akash Kumar Choudhary, Joseph Lalthankhuma, Lalrempouia, Imliwati Lemtur, Vino G Zhimomi, Robin Limboo, Ashish Thapa (wicketkeeper)