Are you ready for another exciting season of Indian domestic cricket? The Duleep Trophy 2025-26 is set to kick off the cricketing calendar and bring together the very best regional talent on a national platform. The tournament is returning to its classic zonal format, which means six zonal teams, Central, East, North, North East, South, and West Zone, will compete for national selection and regional pride from August 28 to September 15, 2025.
Let’s dive into the details, see the full squads, and understand what makes this event so special.
Why the Zonal Format Matters
The Duleep Trophy zonal format is not merely a tradition; it’s the best possible manner for Indian selectors to judge up-and-coming cricket players from each region. When the teams play in their zone representation, more states and associations have an opportunity to display their talent in competitive first-class environments. This zonal format also energizes regional competition, generates intense competition, and promotes justice in national team selection. The return of zonal matches translates into greater diversity for fans, increased intensity for players, and an improved avenue for young cricketers to flourish.
Venues and Schedule
Each match for the 2025-26 season is at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, Bengaluru, to have the best playing facilities and conditions. North Zone plays against East Zone, and Central Zone plays against North East Zone in quarter-finals, while South Zone and West Zone are directly seeded in the semi-finals. The final will be held on September 11-15, for a quick yet intense tournament.
Duleep Trophy 2025-26: Full Squads
Central Zone Squad
- Dhruv Jurel (c, wk)
- Rajat Patidar (vc)
- Aryan Juyal (wk)
- Danish Malewar
- Sanjeet Desai
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Aditya Thakare
- Deepak Chahar
- Saransh Jain
- Ayush Pandey
- Shubham Sharma
- Yash Rathod
- Harsh Dubey
- Manav Suthar
- Khaleel Ahmed
East Zone Squad
- Ishan Kishan (c, wk)
- Abhimanyu Easwaran (vc)
- Sandeep Pattnaik
- Virat Singh
- Denish Das
- Sridam Paul
- Sharandeep Singh
- Kumar Kushagra (wk)
- Riyan Parag
- Utkarsh Singh
- Manishi
- Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal
- Mukesh Kumar
- Akash Deep
- Mohammed Shami
North Zone Squad
- Shubman Gill(c)
- Shubham Khajuria
- Ankit Kumar (vc)
- Ayush Badoni
- Yash Dhull
- Ankit Kalsi
- Nishant Sindhu
- Sahil Lotra
- Mayank Dagar
- Yudhvir Singh Charak
- Arshdeep Singh
- Harshit Rana
- Anshul Kamboj
- Auqib Nabi
- Kanhaiya Wadhawan
North East Zone Squad
- Rongsen Jonathan(c)
- Ankur Malik
- Akash Choudhary (vc)
- Jehu Anderson
- Arpit Bhatewara
- Aryan Bora
- Hem Chetri
- Techi Doria
- Bishworjit Konthoujam
- Sedezhalie Rupero
- Lamabam Singh
- Pheiroijam Jotin
- Palzor Tamang
- Ashish Thapa
- Karnajit Yumnam
South Zone Squad
- Tilak Varma (captain)
- Mohammed Azharuddeen (vc, wk)
- Tanmay Agarwal
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Mohit Kale
- Salman Nizar
- Narayan Jagadeesan (wk)
- Tripurana Vijay
- R Sai Kishore
- Tanay Thyagarajan
- Vijaykumar Vyshak
- Nidheesh MD
- Ricky Bhui
- Basil NP
- Gurjapneet Singh
- Snehal Kauthankar
West Zone Squad
- Shardul Thakur(c)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Aarya Desai
- Harvik Desai (wk)
- Shreyas Iyer
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Jaymeet Patel
- Manan Hingrajia
- Saurabh Nawale (wk)
- Shams Mulani
- Tanush Kotian
- Dharmendrasinh Jadeja
- Tushar Deshpande
- Arzan Nagwaswalla
Why These Squads Showcase the Best Emerging Talent
Let’s look at why these squads and selected players are particularly important for the 2025-26 Duleep Trophy:
- National Selection Pipeline: The teams have India A and fringe Test players, emphasizing the Duleep Trophy as a platform for aspirants waiting for international selection chances.
- High Profile Captains: Captains like Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, and Shardul Thakur not only introduce leadership acumen but also set high ideals for young squad members.
- Combination of Experience and Youth: Seasoned players (such as Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Chahar) join hands with young domestic sensations, bringing the right learning atmosphere and competitive culture into each region.
- Regional Representation: The revival of the North East Zone, in particular, presents new opportunities for cricketers from emerging regions. It is a welcome move for pan-India cricket development.
- Uniform Playing Conditions: Having all the matches at a common venue in Bengaluru results in fewer logistical issues, uniform pitches, and improved recovery and training facilities for players, maximizing player performance and enhancing the quality of cricket.
Final Thoughts
From the thrill of zonal format to the competitive zeal of young and young-at-heart cricketers, Duleep Trophy 2025-26 teams have been handpicked to represent the crème of India’s domestic cricket crop. No matter which team you back: North, South, East, West, Central, or North East Zone, this tournament is sure to provide some top-notch cricket and shape India’s future cricketing legends.
