The Duleep Trophy marks the start of India’s domestic season with intense rivalries between different zones.
Bengaluru, July 29, 2025:
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the Duleep Trophy, India’s main domestic first-class competition, will return to its traditional inter-zonal format this season. The tournament is set to take place in Bengaluru from August 28 to September 15, hosted entirely at the BCCI Centre of Excellence grounds.
This year’s edition will include six teams—North, South, East, West, Central, and North-East Zones—competing in a knockout format, marking a return to BCCI’s zonal cricket structure. Unlike last season, which featured Team A, B, C, and D, these teams will now be chosen by their respective zonal selection panels. This change aims to encourage more regional representation and pride.
In a notable change, the South and West Zones have been given direct entry into the semifinals as a reward for their consistent performances. The quarterfinals from August 28 to 31 will pit North Zone against East Zone and Central Zone against North-East Zone. The semifinals will take place from September 4 to 7, followed by the final match between September 11 and 15.
The Duleep Trophy will kick off India’s domestic season, confirming its importance in the cricket calendar. The 2025-26 season, as BCCI revealed, will include multiple tournaments, starting with this first-class competition and wrapping up with the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal Multi-Day Trophy in April 2026. This reorganization is part of a broader effort by BCCI to improve domestic formats, including the reintroduction of a Plate Division and Super League phases in white-ball events.
Cricket fans and selectors are closely watching the new format, which aims to enhance grassroots competition, develop talent based on regions, and create stronger local rivalries—all starting in Bengaluru this August.