Deodhar Trophy

It is impossible to understate how much domestic cricket affects India's national squad. It offers a stage for the game's present superstars while also building a talent pool of prospective players who can step in when players are unable to participate due to commitments elsewhere. Local cricket also keeps fans engaged, which is crucial when India is not participating in international competitions. Domestic cricket has produced many skilled players over the years for the Indian national team, and the Deodhar Trophy is one of the key tournaments in this journey. It was started in 1973, and the latest season before its return in 2023 was held in 2019. That was the 47th edition of the Deodhar Trophy. At first, it consisted of the same teams as the Duleep Trophy, such as East Zone, West Zone, Central Zone, North Zone, and South Zone. The tournament later adopted a three-team format featuring India A, India B, and India C.

The Deodhar Trophy, an Indian List A cricket tournament, had its 47th edition in the 2019-2020 season. Three teams were selected by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). It was held in October and November 2019, after the Duleep Trophy and before the Ranji Trophy. The reigning champions were India C. India A lost both of its matches, resulting in India B and India C advancing to the final. India B defeated India C by 51 runs in the tournament's final game.

The 2019-2020 Deodhar Trophy was won by India B, which defeated India C by 51 runs. After defeating the cricket team from India A, the two teams moved on to the championship game. India B had already won the competition twice before this title. The final was a rematch of the previous year's Deodhar Trophy final, where India C, who finished second this season, had lifted the trophy after defeating India B by 29 runs.

The 48th Deodhar Trophy, a domestic List A cricket competition held in India, was played in 2023. It took place between July 24 and August 3, 2023. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the 2023 Indian domestic cricket season in April 2023. The competition featured six zones. The Deodhar Trophy returned to a zonal format for the first time since 2014, after its previous edition was held in 2019.

All six zones North Zone, West Zone, South Zone, Central Zone, East Zone, and North East Zone each played five matches. After playing five matches, 4 teams qualified for the semi-finals. On the morning of August 1, 2023, at the Cricket Association Puducherry's Ground 3, East Zone faced off against West Zone in a thrilling semi-final of the Deodhar Trophy. Winning the toss and opting to bat, East Zone set a formidable target of 319/7 in their 50 overs. The highlight of their innings was a spectacular century by Riyan Parag, who remained unbeaten on 102 off just 68 balls, showcasing a mix of power and finesse. West Zone's bowlers struggled to contain the onslaught, with Shams Mulani emerging as the standout bowler, claiming 3 wickets for 45 runs in his 10 overs. In response, West Zone faltered under the pressure, with only Harvik Desai putting up a valiant fight, scoring 92 off 92 balls. However, his efforts were in vain as Manisankar Murasingh's devastating spell of 5/28 in 7 overs dismantled their batting lineup. West Zone was bundled out for 162 in 34 overs, handing East Zone a commanding victory by 157 runs and a spot in the final.

The afternoon match on the same day at Ground 2 of the Cricket Association Puducherry saw Central Zone taking on South Zone in a gripping day-night encounter. Central Zone, winning the toss and electing to bat, posted a competitive 261/9 in their allotted 50 overs. Yash Dubey was the backbone of their innings, scoring a patient 77 off 99 balls, while Mohit Redkar led South Zone's bowling attack with figures of 3/51 in 9 overs. South Zone's chase was anchored by an extraordinary innings from Sai Sudharsan, who played a masterclass of 132 not out off 136 balls, steering his team to victory. Supported by Venkatesh Iyer, who chipped in with the ball taking 1/22 in 4 overs, South Zone achieved the target with ease, finishing at 262/3 in 48.2 overs. This 7-wicket triumph secured South Zone's place in the Deodhar Trophy final, capping off a day of exciting cricket action.

On August 3, 2023, the Deodhar Trophy final was held at the Siechem Ground in Puducherry, featuring a thrilling clash between South Zone and East Zone. South Zone won the toss and elected to bat first in this day-night encounter. They posted an imposing total of 328/8 in their 50 overs, thanks to a scintillating century by Rohan Kunnummal, who scored 107 off just 75 balls. His explosive innings set the tone for South Zone's innings, while Utkarsh Singh contributed with the ball, taking 2/50 in his 10 overs.

In response, East Zone mounted a strong chase but fell short, managing 283 in 46.1 overs. Riyan Parag once again proved his mettle with a quickfire 95 off 65 balls, but his efforts were not enough to take his team over the line. Washington Sundar was the pick of the bowlers for South Zone, claiming 3/60 in his 10 overs. Despite Parag's valiant knock, East Zone succumbed to the pressure, giving South Zone a victory by 45 runs. Rohan Kunnummal's century earned him the Player of the Match award, capping off a memorable final for South Zone.

The winners of previous seasons till now are (1973-1974) South Zone, (1974-1975) South Zone, (1975-1976) West Zone, (1976-1977) Central Zone, (1977-1978) North Zone, (1978-1979) South Zone, (1979-1980) West Zone, (1980-1981) South Zone, (1981-1982) South Zone, (1982-1983) West Zone, (1983-1984) West Zone, (1984-1985) West Zone, (1985-1986) West Zone, (1986-1987) North Zone, (1987-1988) North Zone, (1988-1989) North Zone, (1989-1990) North Zone, (1990-1991) West Zone, (1991-1992) South Zone, (1992-1993) East Zone, (1993-1994) East Zone, (1994-1995) Central Zone, (1995-1996) North Zone, (1996-1997) East Zone, (1997-1998) North Zone, (1998-1999) Central Zone, (1999-2000) North Zone, (2000-2001) South Zone/Central Zone (Combined), (2001-2002) South Zone, (2002-2003) North Zone, (2003-2004) East Zone, (2004-2005) North Zone, (2005-2006) North Zone, (2006-2007) West Zone, (2007-2008) Central Zone, (2008-2009) West Zone, (2009-2010) North Zone, (2010-2011) North Zone, (2011-2012) West Zone, (2012-2013) West Zone, (2013-2014) West Zone, (2014-2015) East Zone, (2015-2016) India A, (2016-2017) Tamil Nadu, (2017-2018) India B, (2018-2019) India C, (2019-2020) India B and (2023-2024) South Zone.

• Knockout-era seasons (1973-1974 to 1992-1993): finals were played, but detailed scorecards, margins, and venues are largely undocumented.
• League-era seasons (1993-1994 to 2007-2008): most editions decided on points with no final; host venues mostly undocumented.
• 2000-2001: title shared by South Zone and Central Zone; no runner-up.
• 2020-2021 and 2021-2022: tournaments cancelled due to COVID-19.