Check out the Duleep Trophy history

The Duleep Trophy is a prestigious annual domestic First-Class cricket tournament in India, organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This tournament holds a special place in Indian cricket, showcasing some of the finest talent in the country. The Duleep Trophy features teams that represent various geographical zones of India. Initially, the competition included five teams: East Zone, Central Zone, North Zone, South Zone, and West Zone. Each of these teams is composed of players from their respective regions, and the tournament serves as a platform for cricketers to demonstrate their skills and vie for selection in higher levels of the game. Over the years, the structure of the tournament has evolved, but the core concept of regional representation remains intact. The Duleep Trophy not only provides a competitive environment for domestic cricketers but also contributes to the development of players by offering them exposure to high-level competition.

As one of the key fixtures in the Indian domestic cricket calendar, the Duleep Trophy continues to play a crucial role in identifying and nurturing cricketing talent, ensuring that the future of Indian cricket remains bright. Its history and tradition make it a significant event for both players and fans, celebrating regional cricketing prowess and fostering a sense of competitive spirit across the country.

Named in honor of Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji of Nawanagar, commonly known as Duleep, the Duleep Trophy first took place during the 1961-62 season. In its inaugural edition, the West Zone emerged victorious, defeating the South Zone by 10 wickets in the final to claim the first-ever title. Since its inception, the Duleep Trophy has been contested in 61 editions, with the tournament establishing itself as a significant event in Indian domestic cricket. Over the years, the West Zone has distinguished itself as the most successful team in the history of the Duleep Trophy, securing the title 19 times. The North Zone follows closely behind, with 18 titles to their name. The South Zone is the third most successful team, having won the trophy on 14 occasions.

In the 2002-03 season, a notable change occurred when the traditional zonal teams were replaced by a new structure comprising five teams: Elite A, Elite B, Elite C, Plate A, and Plate B. This format, however, was only utilized for that single season before the tournament reverted to the previous zonal structure. From the 2003-04 season until 2008, the Duleep Trophy featured five zonal teams along with a guest team from a foreign nation, adding an international dimension to the competition. However, the tournament was not held during the 2015-16 season. It made a comeback in the 2016-17 season with a revised format.

For the next three years, until the 2019-20 season, the Duleep Trophy was contested by three teams: India Blue, India Green, and India Red. This format aimed to showcase the best talent across the country in a more concentrated setup. In the 2022-23 season, the BCCI reintroduced the zonal format, bringing back the original five zones and adding a new team, the North East Zone. This revival of the zonal structure aimed to restore the traditional regional competition and enhance the tournament's appeal. West Zone is the current champion, having secured the title by defeating South Zone by 294 runs in the 2022-23 final. The Duleep Trophy remains a key fixture in Indian domestic cricket, reflecting the evolving structure and competitive spirit of the sport.

Duleep Trophy 2024 squads

Team A: Shubman Gill (C), Mayank Agarwal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, KL Rahul, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Tanush Kotian, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Vidwath Kaverappa, Kumar Kushagra, Shaswat Rawat.

Team B: Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant, Musheer Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy*, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Siraj, Yash Dayal, Mukesh Kumar, Rahul Chahar, R Sai Kishore, Mohit Awasthi, N Jagadeesan (WK).

Team C: Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Abishek Porel (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, B Indrajith, Hrithik Shokeen, Manav Suthar, Umran Malik, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Anshul Khamboj, Himanshu Chauhan, Mayank Markande, Aryan Juyal (WK), Sandeep Warrier.

Team D: Shreyas lyer (C), Atharva Taide, Yash Dubey, Devdutt Padikkal, Ishan Kishan (WK), Ricky Bhui, Saransh Jain, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Aditya Thakare, Harshit Rana, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Sengupta, KS Bharat (WK), Saurabh Kumar.