India A secured their first-ever Duleep Trophy title on September 22, 2024, defeating India C by 132 runs in a thrilling final held at Anantapur Stadium. India A’s bowlers, led by Prasidh Krishna and Tanush Kotian, were instrumental in preventing India C from chasing down the target of 350 runs. Prasidh’s crucial late wickets and Kotian’s tight bowling ensured India A’s victory, marking a memorable triumph in the prestigious domestic tournament.

The Duleep Trophy, named after legendary cricketer Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji, has long been an important competition in Indian domestic cricket. Over the years, it has evolved into a key platform for young and talented cricketers to make their mark and potentially earn a place in the national team. Many cricketers have used the Duleep Trophy as a springboard to greater success in international cricket.

Following India A’s triumph in 2024, here is a complete list of Duleep Trophy winners from past seasons:

• 2024: India A defeated India C
• 2023: South Zone defeated West Zone
• 2022: West Zone defeated South Zone
• 2019: India Red defeated India Green
• 2018-19: India Blue defeated India Red
• 2017-18: India Red defeated India Blue
• 2016-17: India Blue defeated India Red
• 2014-15: Central Zone defeated South Zone
• 2013-14: Draw
• 2012-13: East Zone defeated Central Zone
• 2011-12: East Zone defeated Central Zone
• 2010-11: South Zone defeated North Zone
• 2009-10: West Zone defeated South Zone
• 2008-09: West Zone defeated South Zone
• 2007-08: North Zone defeated West Zone
• 2006-07: North Zone defeated Sri Lanka A
• 2005-06: West Zone defeated East Zone
• 2004-05: Central Zone defeated North Zone
• 2003-04: North Zone defeated East Zone
• 2002-03: North Zone defeated East Zone
• 2001-02: West Zone defeated North Zone
• 2000-01: North Zone defeated Central Zone
• 1999-00: North Zone defeated West Zone
• 1998-99: Central Zone defeated West Zone
• 1997-98: Draw
• 1996-97: Central Zone defeated South Zone
• 1995-96: South Zone defeated Central Zone
• 1994-95: North Zone defeated South Zone
• 1993-94: North Zone defeated West Zone
• 1992-93: North Zone defeated Central Zone
• 1991-92: North Zone defeated West Zone
• 1990-91: North Zone defeated West Zone
• 1989-90: South Zone defeated Central Zone
• 1988-89: Draw
• 1987-88: North Zone defeated West Zone
• 1986-87: South Zone defeated West Zone
• 1985-86: West Zone defeated South Zone
• 1984-85: South Zone defeated North Zone
• 1983-84: North Zone defeated West Zone
• 1982-83: North Zone defeated South Zone
• 1981-82: West Zone defeated East Zone
• 1980-81: West Zone defeated East Zone
• 1979-80: North Zone defeated West Zone
• 1978-79: North Zone defeated West Zone
• 1977-78: West Zone defeated North Zone
• 1976-77: West Zone defeated North Zone
• 1975-76: South Zone defeated North Zone
• 1974-75: South Zone defeated West Zone
• 1973-74: North Zone defeated Central Zone
• 1972-73: West Zone defeated Central Zone
• 1971-72: Central Zone defeated West Zone
• 1970-71: South Zone defeated East Zone
• 1969-70: West Zone defeated North Zone
• 1968-69: West Zone defeated South Zone
• 1967-68: South Zone defeated West Zone
• 1966-67: South Zone defeated West Zone
• 1965-66: South Zone defeated Central Zone
• 1964-65: West Zone defeated Central Zone
• 1963-64: Draw
• 1962-63: West Zone defeated South Zone
• 1961-62: West Zone defeated South Zone

The Duleep Trophy remains a prestigious and competitive tournament, showcasing the best of India’s cricketing talent. As India A celebrates their victory, the tournament continues to provide a platform for young cricketers to shine on the national stage.

India D in Control Despite Easwaran’s Century as India B Struggle

Abhimanyu Easwaran showcased his class with a century, but India B found themselves struggling in their clash against India D. Sanju Samson’s brilliant hundred on Day 1 had put India D in a strong position, and they managed to add only 43 runs to their overnight total, finishing at 349. Navdeep Saini was the star for India B, taking 5 wickets for 74 runs to limit India D’s batting progress.

In response, India B’s top order collapsed under pressure. Arshdeep Singh and Aditya Thakare ripped through the batting lineup, leaving Easwaran with little support at the other end. Arshdeep took crucial wickets, including Musheer Khan, Suryakumar Yadav, and Nitish Reddy, while Thakare dismissed N Jagadeesan early. Easwaran’s 116 and a solid 105-run partnership with Washington Sundar provided some hope, but India B ended the day at 201/6, trailing by 139 runs.

Brief Scores:
India B 201/6 (Abhimanyu Easwaran 116, Washington Sundar 39*; Arshdeep Singh 3-35, Aditya Thakare 2-33)
India D 349 (Sanju Samson 106, KS Bharat 52; Navdeep Saini 5-74)

India A Lead Despite India C Fightback

Aaqib Khan, the talented 20-year-old fast bowler from Uttar Pradesh, shone with the ball again as India A held the upper hand against India C. Riding on Shashwat Rawat’s unbeaten 124, India A added 73 runs to their overnight total, with Avesh Khan smashing a quickfire 51 off 68 balls. India A finished with 297 on the board.

In response, Aaqib Khan ran through India C’s top order, reducing them to 41 for 4 early on. However, Baba Indrajith and Abishek Porel led a strong recovery, with Porel scoring 82 runs before getting dismissed. At stumps, India C were 216/7, trailing India A by 81 runs, with Pulkit Narang and Vijaykumar Vyshak at the crease.

Brief Scores:
India C 216/7 (Abishek Porel 82, Pulkit Narang 35*; Aaqib Khan 3-43, Shams Mulani 2-30)
India A 297 (Shashwat Rawat 124, Shams Mulani 44; Vijaykumar Vyshak 4-51, Anshul Kamboj 3-49)

Both games remain finely balanced as the teams head into crucial Day 3 action.

Duleep Trophy Update: India A secured a comprehensive 186-run victory over India D in a closely fought match at the Rural Development Trust Stadium in Anantapur. Tanush Kotian and Shams Mulani were the stars of the game, delivering impressive performances with both bat and ball to steer their side to victory.

Kotian, with figures of 4 for 73, and Mulani, taking 3 for 117, led the bowling attack on the fourth day. They picked up most of the nine wickets needed to wrap up India D’s innings, despite a valiant effort from Ricky Bhui, who scored a fighting 113.

Bhui gave India D some hope with a counterattacking knock, starting from Day 3 and continuing into the final day. His overnight partner, Yash Dubey, however, was unfortunate to be run out early, and from there, wickets began to fall steadily. Devdutt Padikkal, a half-centurion in the first innings, fell cheaply to Mulani, and Shreyas Iyer’s aggressive 41 ended in a similar fashion.

Sanju Samson also showed attacking intent but was dismissed for 40 after a promising partnership with Bhui. As Kotian and Mulani exploited the rough patches on the pitch, India D’s resistance crumbled. Bhui’s heroic century was not enough as Kotian struck key blows, including the wicket of Bhui, to complete the victory.

India A had earlier posted 290 and 380/3 declared in their two innings, with strong contributions from Pratham Singh (122) and Tilak Varma (111*). India D, in response, fell short in both innings, bowing out for 183 and 301, handing India A a well-deserved win.

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has taken a dig at Indian batter Shreyas Iyer for his poor performance in the Duleep Trophy. Iyer, who captained India D, was dismissed for a seven-ball duck in the first innings against India A. Ali claimed that Iyer has lost his hunger for red-ball cricket, focusing too much on hitting boundaries instead of building an innings.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Basit Ali expressed disappointment in Iyer’s approach, suggesting that he should have scored 100-200 runs in the match. He went on to say that if it were up to him, Iyer would not be part of the Duleep Trophy at all, pointing out the absence of senior players like Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara in the competition.

“Iyer doesn’t seem to have the drive for red-ball cricket anymore. He’s more focused on boundaries. If I were a selector, I wouldn’t have included him in the Duleep Trophy,” Ali remarked.

Shreyas Iyer still has a few more innings left in the tournament and will need to make the most of them if he hopes to be considered for the upcoming New Zealand Test series. With the Ranji Trophy season starting soon, this may be his last chance to prove his form before the squad is announced.

India C has secured a 202-run lead over India D, thanks to a crucial knock by Baba Indrajith. Despite being reduced to 108/8 at one point, Indrajith’s 72 helped India C take a slim 4-run lead after wrapping up India D for just 164 on the first day.

The second day started on a tough note for India C, with Harshit Rana dismissing both Abhishek Porel and Manav Suthar early on. India C lost 4 wickets for just 17 runs but Indrajith’s calm and composed innings turned the tide, allowing them to regain control of the match.

When India C returned to the field, Vijaykumar Vyshak set the tone by dismissing openers Atharva Taide and Yash Dubey in quick succession. However, India D fought back with half-centuries from Shreyas Iyer and Devdutt Padikkal, pushing their second innings total to 206/8.

Manav Suthar’s brilliant 5-wicket haul kept India D in the contest, leaving the game finely poised with two wickets left to take. The match now heads into the final day with both teams battling for control.

Musheer Khan made a remarkable debut in the Duleep Trophy, scoring a century and rescuing India B from a precarious position. Despite his team being in trouble at 94/7, Khan’s innings of 100 not out helped lift the score to 202/7 by the end of the day.

Khan, who has been in superb form with 533 runs in his last six first-class innings, faced a tough challenge from India A’s bowlers.

He handled the seam movement effectively on the green top at M Chinnaswamy Stadium and excelled against the spinners. His innings included 10 fours and 2 sixes, as he took on Kuldeep Yadav and Tanush Kotian with confidence.

Navdeep Saini also played a crucial role, contributing 29 runs and adding 108 runs with Khan, which shifted the momentum in favor of India B.

This outstanding performance highlights Khan’s potential, especially as he outshone his brother Sarfaraz Khan, who is also a well-known figure in domestic cricket.

The Duleep Trophy, one of India’s most prestigious domestic cricket tournaments, is set to begin on September 5 and run until September 23. With star players like Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Ishan Kishan participating, cricket fans are eager to catch the action live.

How to Get Tickets: Tickets for the Duleep Trophy are now available for purchase. Fans can secure their seats through the official ticket sponsor, FixtureCalendar.com. Simply visit their website and select the match you wish to attend.

Duleep Trophy Schedule & Tickets:

Duleep Trophy 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.
• Team C: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Abishek Porel, Suryakumar Yadav, B Indrajith, Hrithik Shokeen, Manav Suthar, Umran Malik, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Anshul Khamboj, Himanshu Chauhan, Mayank Markande, Aryan Juyal, Sandeep Warrier.
• Team D: Shreyas Iyer (c), Atharva Taide, Yash Dubey, Devdutt Padikkal, Ishan Kishan, Ricky Bhui, Saransh Jain, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Aditya Thakare, Harshit Rana, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Sengupta, KS Bharat, Saurabh Kumar.

The Duleep Trophy 2024-25 is set to begin on September 5, and the BCCI has announced the captains for the four squads. Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Abhimanyu Easwaran will lead their respective teams in this prestigious first-class tournament.

Key Highlights

• Team A:
  • Captain: Shubman Gill
  • Notable Players: Riyan Parag, KL Rahul, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav
  • Overview: Gill’s team includes a mix of experience and youth, with key players like KL Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav aiming to make a significant impact.
• Team B:
  • Captain: Abhimanyu Easwaran
  • Notable Players: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar
  • Overview: Easwaran will lead a strong side featuring experienced internationals like Ravindra Jadeja and upcoming talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal.
• Team C:
  • Captain: Ruturaj Gaikwad
  • Notable Players: Suryakumar Yadav, Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar
  • Overview: Gaikwad’s team is bolstered by the presence of explosive batsman Suryakumar Yadav and consistent performers like Sai Sudharsan.
• Team D:
  • Captain: Shreyas Iyer
  • Notable Players: Ishan Kishan, Devdutt Padikkal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh
  • Overview: Iyer will lead a well-rounded squad featuring star players like Ishan Kishan and all-rounder Axar Patel.

Tournament Details

• Start Date: September 5, 2024
• End Date: September 22, 2024
• Venues: Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh & Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

BCCI’s Selection Strategy

The BCCI has included many players from India’s senior squads in this year’s Duleep Trophy, except for a few like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and R Ashwin. Mohammed Shami continues his rehabilitation and is not part of the tournament.

The players selected for the upcoming home Test series against Bangladesh will be replaced in the Duleep Trophy squads.

In an exciting development for Indian cricket, brothers Sarfaraz Khan and Musheer Khan will play together in the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2024-25. Both have been named in Team B, which will be led by Bengal’s Abhimanyu Easwaran.

Key Highlights:

• Sarfaraz Khan’s Form: Sarfaraz has been a batting sensation in India’s longest format, with an impressive first-class record of 4112 runs in 48 matches at an average of 68.53.
• Musheer Khan’s Emergence: Musheer, the younger Khan, is quickly making a name for himself in the domestic circuit. In just six first-class matches, he has scored 529 runs at an average of 58 and has also taken seven wickets, showing his potential as an all-rounder.
• Team B Lineup: The brothers will be part of a star-studded Team B, which includes players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Siraj.

Duleep Trophy 2024-25 Full Squads

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a venue change for the opening fixture of the Duleep Trophy. The season opener, originally scheduled for Anantapur, will now be held at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru starting September 5.

Key Details

• New Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
• Original Venue: Rural Development Trust Stadium and ACA ADCA Ground, Anantapur
• Tournament Dates: September 5 to September 22, 2024

Reasons for Venue Change

• Star Players: The shift is aimed at accommodating several Indian stars, including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The BCCI is keen to have these players in action before their upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, which starts on September 19.
• Preparation: Hosting the opener in Bengaluru allows the BCCI to ensure that key players get match fitness ahead of a busy international schedule.

Schedule for Remaining Matches

• The other five four-day fixtures will proceed as planned in Anantapur.

Player Availability

• Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli: Their participation will depend on their availability given their workload.
• Jasprit Bumrah: Unlikely to feature as he is being managed for his fitness ahead of the season.
• Expected Players: Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Yashasvi Jaiswal are anticipated to participate in the opener.

Future Considerations

• Mohammed Shami: Currently undergoing rehabilitation after surgery, Shami’s availability for the latter part of the Duleep Trophy is yet to be confirmed.

This adjustment highlights the BCCI’s strategic focus on player preparation and ensuring the best possible performance in upcoming international matches.