Duleep Trophy back in its traditional style

Not many things in Indian cricket change as quickly as the Duleep Trophy format. From being a zonal event for more than 50 years, the multi-day competition, in recent times, has alternated between being a zonal tournament and having inorganically formed teams named after colours and alphabets.

From Thursday, at the brand new BCCI Centre of Excellence grounds in the city’s outskirts, the 2025-26 edition will begin, this time in its traditional zonal style after a third shuffle in four seasons. North takes on East while Central meets North East. The winners will play direct semifinalists South and West respectively.

When the squads were announced, Test skipper Shubman Gill was named captain of North, a side also featuring Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana. But with all three part of the squad for Asia Cup which begins in the United Arab Emirates on September 9, there is an element of doubt regarding their participation. The zonal selectors, in fact, had named potential replacements for all three.

East boasts of talents such as Abhimanyu Easwaran, who is set to lead the side, Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar. Akash Deep and Ishan Kishan are expected to miss out because of injuries. Central has in its roster Dhruv Jurel, Rajat Patidar and the Asia Cup-bound Kuldeep Yadav while North East will be led by Nagaland’s Rongsen Jonathan.

Shami will be keenly watched, for he was not picked for the five-Test England sojourn after being deemed lacking in match-fitness. The 34-year-old last played a First Class game in November 2024. Mukesh, who has fallen down the Indian fast-bowling pecking order, will be eager to impress. The BCCI will also test a “serious injury replacement substitute” rule to cover for grave injuries like those suffered by Rishabh Pant (broken foot) and Chris Woakes (dislocated shoulder) in England.

Coming as the Duleep does at the beginning of the domestic season, stellar deeds can catch national attention. But with India scheduled to play just four Tests until the end of the year — two home matches each versus the West Indies and South Africa — it remains to be seen how much weightage these performances will get.

But unlike 2024, when teams were handpicked to be evenly matched and it admittedly led to quality cricket, the outfits have an identity this time around and an opportunity to forge a collective. Will some riveting action follow?