Duleep Trophy 2026 Format Change: Explained and Analysed

The Duleep Trophy 2026 retained the zonal format after a one-season experiment with selection XIs ("India A, B, C, D") ended mixed. The BCCI's reasoning: zonal teams create tradition and rivalry; selection XIs create concentration of talent but feel generic. The five zones — North, South, East, West, Central — each field their best available first-class players, with central selectors handling squads. The format runs in August-September as India's red-ball warm-up before the Ranji season. Here is the full explainer on what changed, why, and what it means for Indian cricket.

The Duleep Trophy, briefly

Named after Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji, the Duleep Trophy was instituted in 1961-62 as India's zonal first-class competition. Historically, five zones — North, South, East, West, Central — played each other in a round-robin or knockout, with the winner crowned zonal champion. It was the stepping stone to India selection alongside Ranji Trophy.

The format has changed multiple times:

• Original (1961-2015): pure zonal, round-robin and knockout.
• 2016 onwards: brief experiments with selection-based teams (India A, B, C).
• 2023: back to zonal teams.
• 2024: experiment with India Red, India Blue, India Green — four selection XIs.
• 2025: zonal teams returned.
• 2026: zonal format confirmed, with adjusted scheduling and added neutral hosts.

Why the BCCI kept swinging

The central tension: talent concentration versus tradition.

Selection XIs (India A, B, C, D) pull the top 60-80 red-ball players into four equal squads. This produces higher match quality, but loses regional identity. Crowds do not care about "India B".

Zonal teams give players an identity ("I played for South Zone"), create rivalries (North vs West is historic), and connect to local audiences. But quality varies — South Zone in a given year might field four India regulars while East Zone fields all uncapped domestic cricketers. Match quality drops.

The 2024 selection-XI experiment was widely criticised. Players found it awkward; broadcasters could not find good narratives; media lost the regional pride angle. For 2025 the BCCI reverted to zonal. The 2026 edition confirms the zonal format stays.

The 2026 format specifics

Structure: five zones play a round-robin (each plays four matches), with the top two meeting in a knockout final.

Matches: four-day first-class format with 90 overs per day.

Venues: neutral host venues, typically in the same city (Bangalore, Hyderabad, or Indore) to keep logistics tight.

Window: late August to mid-September 2026.

Squads: each zone picks 15 players from the best available first-class cricketers in their region. India regulars on Test duty are usually unavailable; those on break may play 1-2 matches.

The five zones in 2026

North Zone

Historical powerhouse. Includes Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir. Strong bowling attack with the likes of Harshit Rana, Navdeep Saini (when available), and Arshdeep Singh (red-ball cameos).

South Zone

Deep batting, strong spin. Includes Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra, Hyderabad. Players: Mayank Agarwal, Ravichandran Ashwin (if available), Washington Sundar, Rohan Kunnummal, Sai Sudharsan.

West Zone

Mumbai heavy, always among favourites. Includes Maharashtra, Mumbai, Gujarat, Saurashtra, Baroda. Players: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat.

East Zone

Traditionally weakest but improving. Includes Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam, Tripura. Players: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Saurabh Kumar, Ishan Kishan (when available), Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar.

Central Zone

Madhya Pradesh strong. Includes MP, Vidarbha, Rajasthan, Railways, Uttar Pradesh. Players: Rajat Patidar (when available), Venkatesh Iyer, Kumar Kartikeya, Yash Rathod, Khaleel Ahmed.

Impact on India Test selection

The Duleep Trophy has become a critical pre-Ranji selection window. For 2026-27 priorities:

• Batters: aspirants like Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sarfaraz Khan (if available), Musheer Khan need big scores.
• Pacers: Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed compete for Test squad shortlists.
• Spinners: Kuldeep Yadav, Kumar Kartikeya, Saurabh Kumar — the post-Ashwin era pushes left-arm options forward.
• Keepers: Dhruv Jurel vs KS Bharat vs Ishan Kishan — all available at various times.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar has said publicly that Duleep Trophy performances matter for Test selection, alongside Ranji Trophy and India A tours.

Analysis: is zonal the right call?

Arguments for:

• Tradition and regional identity.
• Better fan connection, especially in state-based markets.
• Spreads hosting rights across zones, helping regional associations.

Arguments against:

• Quality variance — East Zone can be weaker than others.
• Fixture congestion when zones travel.
• Less competitive balance than a selection-XI model.

The compromise: keep zonal format, but ensure each zone is well-coached and has fair player access. The BCCI has moved in that direction — more funding to weaker zones, neutral-venue clustering, streaming coverage on JioHotstar.

Duleep Trophy past winners

The Duleep Trophy has historically been dominated by West Zone (most titles) and South Zone. Recent winners include North Zone in 2023-24 (per BCCI records), India A/B teams during selection-XI phases, and West Zone during the earlier zonal eras.

The long-term leaderboard: West Zone holds the record for most titles, followed by South Zone. Central and East have each won titles sparingly.

What 2026 sets up

• Ranji Trophy 2026-27 (starting October) gets match-hardened players.
• India's home Test season (against New Zealand and Australia) gets selection inputs.
• 2027 India tour of England (Tests) shortlist begins to take shape.

A strong Duleep Trophy knock by a Yashasvi Jaiswal or Abhimanyu Easwaran can reopen the India Test XI conversation.

FAQ

Q: What is the difference between zonal and selection-XI Duleep Trophy? A: In the zonal format, teams are organised by geographic region (North, South, East, West, Central) and players represent their home zone. In the selection-XI format (used briefly in 2024), players are distributed across four mixed teams named India Red, India Blue, India Green etc. The BCCI reverted to zonal from 2025.

Related reading

• Duleep Trophy 2025-26 Zonal Format Winners
• Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Season Preview
• Ranji Trophy Rules and Format