Inexperienced Indian wicketkeeper to head Central Zone in Duleep Trophy as captain

The 2025/26 Duleep Trophy is set to make a comeback to its traditional zonal format, featuring six teams: North Zone, South Zone, East Zone, West Zone, Central Zone, and North East Zone. After a brief interlude with a four-team selection format, the tournament will run from August 28 to September 15, 2025, primarily hosted at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru to ensure consistent playing conditions.

A Return to Tradition

Originally, the Duleep Trophy was contested by zonal teams representing different regions of India. However, in 2024, the format shifted to four teams selected by national selectors. For 2025/26, it reverts to the zonal model with six zones participating again. The structure includes quarter-finals where North Zone faces East Zone, and Central Zone faces North East Zone, while South Zone and West Zone receive direct byes to the semi-finals due to being last zonal finalists. This change aims to restore regional pride and balance competition across representative teams.

Key Captains and Players

North Zone is led by Shubman Gill, a prominent Indian batsman.
South Zone is captained by Tilak Varma, a promising batter who will be crucial to the team's performance.
West Zone is under the leadership of India all-rounder Shardul Thakur, marking his first captaincy in first-class cricket.
The remaining teams, Central Zone, East Zone, and North East Zone, will compete in the initial stages, completing the traditional six-zone tournament format.

Notable Players to Watch

Shardul Thakur (West Zone captain), an established India international, will be a key player to watch.
Shubman Gill (North Zone captain), a leading young batsman for India, is expected to shine.
Tilak Varma (South Zone captain), a promising batter, will showcase his leadership and performance.
Other zonal players include noted domestic performers and emerging talents from the Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy squads, strengthening the competitive quality of the tournament.

Central Zone Squad

Dhruv Jurel will lead Central Zone in the tournament. Jurel, though inexperienced at senior level, has led Uttar Pradesh Under-19s and India Under-19s. Kuldeep Yadav, Deepak Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, and Rajat Patidar (if fit) are capped Indian limited-overs cricketers in the Central Zone squad.

The Central Zone squad also includes Madhav Kaushik, Yash Thakur, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Mahipal Lomror, Kuldeep Sen, and Upendra Yadav as standbys. If he gets medical clearance, Rajat Patidar will also be part of the Central Zone squad.

The Duleep Trophy opens the Indian domestic red-ball season, serving as a vital platform for players to stake claims for national selection ahead of the Test season. Hosting the tournament centrally in Bengaluru reduces logistical challenges and ensures similar pitch conditions across matches. The BCCI has also introduced broader format and structural changes for the 2025-26 domestic season, including zonal team selections and revised groupings in other tournaments, pointing to a trend of emphasizing zonal identity in domestic cricket.

Central Zone covers seven Ranji Trophy teams: Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Railways, and Services. The full squad for the Duleep Trophy 2025/26 includes Aryan Juyal, Danish Malewar, Sanchit Desai, Aditya Thakare, Saransh Jain, Ayush Pandey, Shubham Sharma, Yash Rathod, Harsh Dubey, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed, Rajat Patidar (if fit), Madhav Kaushik, Yash Thakur, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Mahipal Lomror, Kuldeep Sen, and Upendra Yadav.

In five Tests, Jurel has scored 255 runs at 36.42, and has taken nine catches and two stumpings. In first-class matches, Jurel has 1,515 runs in 25 matches, averaging 47.34, and has taken 67 catches and six stumpings. If he gets medical clearance, Rajat Patidar will also join the team, adding to the squad's strength.

In summary, the 2025/26 Duleep Trophy returns to the zonal system, enhancing regional competition with six teams, led by notable Indian players such as Shardul Thakur, Shubman Gill, and Tilak Varma, staged in a centralized venue to kick off the domestic cricket calendar.

Inexperienced Indian wicketkeeper to head Central Zone in Duleep Trophy as captain