Duleep Trophy
Duleep Trophy is one of the most prestigious first-class cricket tournaments in India, contested by zonal teams and known for producing future stars of Indian cricket. Since its first edition in 1961-1962, the competition has seen iconic performances and format changes but has always been a vital stage for red-ball talent to shine. Over the decades, it has delivered unforgettable centuries, fierce spin battles, and gripping finishes, giving domestic cricket fans plenty to cheer for. The event remains a key pathway for players to break into higher levels of competition and a favorite for those who love traditional multi-day cricket.
The 62nd edition (August 28 – September 15, 2025) saw Central Zone claim their seventh title after 11 years, defeating South Zone by six wickets at BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 1, Bengaluru. That win marked Central Zone’s seventh title, and their first in 11 years under captain Rajat Patidar. Past editions have seen giants like West Zone dominate, but recent seasons have showcased fierce competition among all zones.
Type: First-class cricket
Title Holder: Central Zone
First Edition: 1961-1962
Last Edition: 2025-2026
Introduction
For true cricket fans in India, the Duleep Trophy is more than just a local competition; it's a show where the country's rising stars and seasoned pros compete to see who can win. It's a stage where new ability meets old experience, and a good show here can get you on the national team right away. For people who like a little extra excitement, the Duleep Trophy betting tips India has to offer become an interesting way to follow the drama as it happens. In India, betting on the Duleep Trophy is more than just picking a winner. It's also about knowing how first-class cricket works, spotting players who are in good form, and guessing how they'll do under pressure. Because the longer format is so unexpected, with all of its twists and turns over four days of intense cricket, every session could be a game-changer. It's this that makes Duleep Trophy cricket betting in India so exciting - it's a different kind of action than the fast-paced world of T20s.
Huge changes happen in culture because of the Duleep Trophy. It connects neighborhood cricket stars to the national stage. The event has a lot of history behind it. It was named after the great Duleepsinhji, and many famous people have played there. The fact that the zonal system puts regions against each other makes the competition and pride even stronger. Fans get to see their favorite local stars act, and smart bettors can use what they know about the area to their advantage. The excitement doesn't just happen in the grounds; it also spreads to cricket clubs, tea stalls, and internet sites where fans and bettors talk about player form, pitch conditions, and possible results. As a celebration of Indian cricket's rich local ecosystem, the Duleep Trophy is going back to a style that fans are used to. This should spark a new passion for the game.
This year’s Duleep Trophy returns to its traditional zonal format, featuring six teams (Central, North, South, East, West, and North East), and unfolds as a high-stakes knockout running from 28 August to 15 September 2025 as part of India’s domestic season launch (2025-2026).The stakes are elevated with seasoned performers like Mohammed Shami leading East Zone alongside Ishan Kishan and Abhimanyu Easwaran, while emerging talents such as Sanjeet Desai and Ayush Pandey add intrigue for Duleep Trophy betting tips India and how best to bet on Duleep Trophy India through trusted insights on IndiaBetMaster.com. For those who enjoy local insight with flair, the same breakdown is also available in Hindi (दलीप ट्रॉफी हिंदी समीक्षा), perfect for understanding how pitch trends, regional strengths, and squad dynamics can align with smart betting angles.
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Current Season
The 2025 Duleep Trophy season, which took place from August 28 to September 15, 2025, marked a return to the traditional regional zonal structure. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reinstated the six-zone system, with teams from North, South, East, West, Central, and North East zones, after a few seasons of using India A, B, C, and D teams. The aim of this change was to revive regional pride and to give players better chances to represent their zones in red-ball cricket. All of the matches were played at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, making it a central hub for first-class competition that season.
The tournament used a knockout format. The quarterfinals saw North Zone vs East Zone and Central Zone vs North East Zone, while South Zone and West Zone entered at the semifinal stage. By the end of the final on September 15, Central Zone had won the trophy, defeating South Zone by six wickets. This was Central Zone’s seventh title, and it was their first Duleep Trophy win in over a decade.
The 2025 edition delivered strong individual performances. Rajat Patidar topped the run-scoring charts with 382 runs across five innings, averaging over 76. Central Zone’s bowlers also impressed, especially in the final: spinners Saransh Jain and Kumar Kartikeya combined to bowl out South Zone for just 149 in one innings, which gave Central a commanding upper hand in that match.
On the commercial, broadcasting, and fan front, there were mixed responses. While the prestige of returning to zonal competition boosted regional interest, many fans raised concerns that earlier knockout matches were not streamed or televised live. The BCCI addressed this by ensuring the final was televised, confirming agreements with broadcasters to cover more domestic cricket days.
Although exact attendance figures are not publicly detailed, the final in Bengaluru saw a significantly larger crowd compared to earlier rounds, driven by the presence of well-known domestic stars and the knockout stakes. Viewership on digital platforms reportedly rose in the later stages, especially for fans outside the major metropolitan zones, reflecting renewed enthusiasm for first-class cricket.
| Date | Stage | Team 1 | Team 2 | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28-08-2025 | Quarter Final | North Zone | East Zone | 405 & 658/4d - 230 |
| 28-08-2025 | Quarter Final | Central Zone | North East Zone | 532/4d & 331/7d - 185 & 200/6 |
| 04-09-2025 | Semi Final | South Zone | North Zone | 536 & 95/1 - 361 |
| 04-09-2025 | Semi Final | West Zone | Central Zone | 438 & 216/8 - 600 |
| 11-09-2025 | Final | South Zone | Central Zone | 149 & 426 - 511 & 66/4 |
Ongoing September-2025 Events
| Event | Type | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
  County Championship |
First-class cricket | 04-04-2025 | 27-09-2025 |
| Women’s One-Day Cup |
List A cricket | 19-04-2025 | 21-09-2025 |
| T20 Blast |
Twenty20 (T20) | 29-05-2025 | 13-09-2025 |
 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) |
Test cricket | 20-06-2025 | 15-06-2027 |
| One-Day Cup |
List A cricket | 05-08-2025 | 20-09-2025 |
 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) |
Twenty20 (T20) | 14-08-2025 | 21-09-2025 |
 Minor League Cricket (MiLC) |
Twenty20 (T20) | 28-08-2025 | 02-10-2025 |
 Duleep Trophy |
First-class cricket | 28-08-2025 | 15-09-2025 |
| Asia Cup |
Twenty20 (T20) | 09-09-2025 | 28-09-2025 |
| Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) |
Twenty20 (T20) | 06-09-2025 | 17-09-2025 |
 National Cricket League Twenty20 (NCL T20) |
Twenty20 (T20) | 15-09-2025 | 04-10-2025 |
| ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup |
One-Day International (ODI) | 30-09-2025 | 02-11-2025 |
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Previous Seasons
2024-2025 Edition
The 2024 Duleep Trophy was different because it had four teams: India A, B, C, and D. There were some interesting matches and stories. After all, this framework was different from the usual zonal plan. The event was won by India A, which was led by Mayank Agarwal and beat India C in an exciting final. The championship game was very close and came down to the wire on the last day, showing how tough and determined both teams were.
Several players had games that stood out. For example, India C's young Sai Sudharsan got a hard-fought hundred in the final, showing how tough he was against a strong bowling attack. India A won thanks in large part to the bowling of Prasidh Krishna and the all-around efforts of Tanush Kotian. This shows how talented the Indian local circuit is. Cricket was very competitive at the competition, and the ends of several games were very close. As players competed to get their names written down by a national selection, there was less focus on rivalries between zones and more on how well each player did. This structure was different, but it gave players a chance to test themselves against a bigger range of talented players, instead of just players from other zones.
The 2024 event was set up in a round-robin style, with no knockout rounds. At the end of the league stage, the winner was the team with the most points. Because of how the games were set up, every game was important, and one loss could ruin a team's chances of winning the title. There were not as many moves as in a knockout system, where one team can reach its peak at the right time. Repetition was very important here. The Decision Review System (DRS) was also used in the competition. This added another level of strategy depth and interest to the games. The crowds and media coverage were small but excited, and most of the talk was about the possible future of Indian cricket. Regarding money, the tournament's success in showing off young talent had a good ripple effect, as it raised the profiles of players who could then get better deals in other local leagues. A big plus was that the BCCI backed this new format politically and administratively, showing that they were ready to try something new to keep the home game interesting. The Duleep Trophy 2024, with its unique structure, did its job as a testing ground for the next generation of Indian players, making it possible for the zonal competition to return in 2025.
Earlier Editions
A major event in India's domestic cricket calendar, the 2023 Duleep Trophy included the usual zonal play between six teams: North East Zone, South East Zone, East Zone, West Zone, Central Zone, and North Zone. Held from June 28 to July 16, 2023, this elite competition gave athletes a chance to show off their prowess and vie for national selection. The competition had a knockout structure, with quarterfinals leading up to the final match.
The zonal teams competed strongly in the 2023 Duleep Trophy quarterfinals. North Zone defeated North East Zone by an inning and 214 runs in the match at the KSCA Cricket Ground in Alur. Shubman Gill's double century and the bowling tandem of Navdeep Saini and Jaydev Unadkat, who each claimed several wickets, underlined this commanding effort. At Bangalore's M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Central Zone and East Zone squared off in the other quarterfinal. Rinku Singh's strong batting display enabled Central Zone to overcome a small score set by East Zone, winning by five wickets.
The trend of close encounters and exciting cricket continued in the semi-finals. At the KSCA Cricket Ground in Alur, Central Zone played against West Zone. West Zone won the toss and elected to bat first. The match was very engaging, and it ended in a draw. West Zone moved towards the final because of their net run rate. South Zone and North Zone squared off in the other semi-final at Bangalore's M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. By forcing a follow-on, the South Zone demonstrated its superiority by winning by 2 wickets. North Zone's batting order was destroyed by Vidwath Kaverappa's superb five-wicket haul bowling and a good knock by Mayank Agarwal.
The tournament's final achievement, the match between West Zone and South Zone, took place in Bangalore's M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. West Zone won the toss and elected to field first. South Zone won handily, by 75 runs, to secure the league title. With important wickets in both innings, Vidwath Kaverappa maintained his excellent form, while Hanuma Vihari played a good knock to guarantee South Zone's victory in the competition. West Zone lost because their batting lineup was unable to overcome South Zone's combined bowling attack. The player of the match was Vidwath Kaverappa. In this way, South Zone won the title for the 14th time.
History & Structure
India's domestic cricket competition is known as the Duleep Trophy and was established in memory of Kumar Shri Duleepsinghji. The competition is held among India's many geographical regions. The competition was introduced in 1961-1962, by the BCCI. Indian-born Kumar Duleepsinghji Jadeja performed for England from 1905 until 1959. He was born in Gujarat. He participated in test matches plus first-class games in England as a right-handed batter and right-armed leg-break bowler. The BCCI decided to launch this competition in India in his honor after the famous batsman passed away in 1959.
The event features five teams from the North, Central, East, West, and South zones. The five clubs competed against one another in a knockout stage under the competition's initial structure, but from the 1993-1994 season, it adopted a league system. The five zonal teams' new names for the 2002-2003 season were Elite B, Elite Q, Elite C, Plate A, and Plate B. These designations corresponded to the Elite & Plate divisions that the Ranji Trophy inaugurated the same year. The names were changed back to their previous form for the next season due to the confusion this new format had caused. Five new teams took the place of the zonal teams for the 2002-2003 season. This system only lasted for one season due to the perception that the new teams lacked personality. These teams were built from the new Elite Group as well as Plate Group divisions that had been implemented into the Ranji Trophy that season.
The 5 zonal teams plus a sixth team, England A, competed against one another in the 2003-2004 season. The first visiting foreign team to be accepted as a guest squad in the Duleep Trophy Competition was England A. The original five-team elimination competition was utilized until the 2014-2015 season after the visitor team was dropped in 2008. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) XI participated in the Tournament as a guest squad in 2004-2005. In 2006-2007, the Zimbabwe Cricket Union President's XI was permitted to compete, and in 2007-2008, the England Lions participated as a guest team.
The Duleep Trophy was not played in 2015-2016 but made a comeback in 2016-2017 with a new format. Three teams, India Blue, India Green, and India Red, were selected by the BCCI selectors to compete. In a round-robin event, the teams competed, with the top 2 moving on to the final, which has been won by India Blue. All games in the competition, which took place at the beginning of the season, were played day and night.
Up until 2014-2015, the North Zone, West Zone, East Zone, South Zone, & Central Zone were the five Indian zonal teams that participated regularly in the Duleep Trophy. The five teams first competed against one another in a knockout style. Starting with the 1993-1994 campaign, the tournament adopted a league structure. Up until 2014-2015, the North Zone, West Zone, East Zone, South Zone, & Central Zone were the five Indian zonal teams that participated regularly in the Duleep Trophy. The five teams first competed against one another in a knockout style. Starting with the 1993-1994 campaign, the tournament adopted a league structure.
Although the Ranji Trophy is often recognized as the national championship, many national cricket players in India value the Duleep Trophy more. From its inception, the Duleep Trophy has successfully run for 44 years. This competition serves as an effective tool for selecting team members for international travel. A player's chance to represent India in an international competition may depend on how well they perform in this tournament.
Why is the 2025-2026 Duleep Trophy only the 18th season when it started in 1961-1962? The Duleep Trophy, which began in the 1961-1962 cricket season, is a prestigious Indian domestic cricket tournament. However, despite its long history, the upcoming 2025-2026 season will only be recognized as the 18th official season. This discrepancy arises from several factors, including changes in the tournament format and years when the competition was not held. The key factors are:
- Inception and Early Years (1961-1962): The Duleep Trophy was introduced as a zonal competition among teams representing North Zone, South Zone, East Zone, West Zone, and Central Zone. This format continued for several decades.
- Format Changes: Over the years, the BCCI made significant changes to the format. The tournament shifted from a round-robin to a knockout format. Later, from the 2016-2017 season onwards, the competition featured teams like India Red, India Blue, and India Green, instead of traditional zonal teams.
- Gaps in the Tournament: There were years when the Duleep Trophy was not held, such as in the 2015-16 season. These gaps, caused by scheduling conflicts, introduction of other domestic tournaments, or administrative decisions, led to a lower overall count of seasons.
- Recent Seasons: The current season count reflects the Duleep Trophy's recent format, and the official seasons counted by the BCCI under this new structure.
This history of format changes and gaps in the tournament explains why the 2025-2026 Duleep Trophy is only considered the 18th season, despite the tournament's inception over six decades ago.
Final Thoughts
The upcoming 2025-2026 Duleep Trophy season promises to be one of the most exciting editions in recent years, with several key updates and enhancements that will captivate cricket fans and bettors alike. This season will see the continuation of the successful format featuring teams like India Red, India Blue, and India Green, offering a showcase of India’s top cricketing talents just below the international level. A notable change this season is the inclusion of advanced analytics and technology in broadcasts, providing viewers with real-time player statistics, predictive insights, and enhanced viewing experiences, which will be available on major sports networks and streaming platforms in India.
Moreover, the Duleep Trophy is expected to draw larger crowds, particularly in cricket-crazy regions like Chennai and Bangalore, where matches are likely to be played. With new sponsorship deals, including major brands from the tech and consumer goods sectors, the tournament is set to offer a richer fan experience both in the stadiums and online. IndiaBetMaster, available in both English and Hindi, will provide comprehensive coverage of the Duleep Trophy, including expert betting tips, match reviews, and the latest odds, making it an essential destination for cricket enthusiasts. Visit the dedicated event page and other sections of IndiaBetMaster.com cricket hub frequently for all your cricket and betting information, reviews, and updates on this and other cricketing events.
Betting on Duleep Trophy
India is among the fastest-growing marketplaces for online sportsbooks, & bettors frequently choose to bet on the national sport of the nation. Millions of cricket enthusiasts visit online bookmakers every season to place bets on the winning team or to take advantage of the variety of wagers these sites provide. Yet a common question is: Is online cricket betting permitted in India? In general, the laws governing online gambling at casinos and sportsbooks vary by state. The legislation as it stands currently leaves it up to each state to control and regulate their local forms of gambling, whether they take place online or offline.
Presently, only Goa, Sikkim, and Daman are states where gaming is completely permitted. However, the Public Gambling Act of 1867, which was developed and approved before computers were common, sets the guidelines for gambling in every country, and it does not take into account online betting companies.
So long as they choose websites that aren't based in India, cricket fans who want to place bets on online sportsbooks may still do so lawfully. Several online bookmakers satisfy this standard, but some provide safer and more fair terms. Therefore, cricket fans wait for the Duleep Trophy anxiously so that they can put their bets on the matches as well as on the players.
Did You Know
