India’s top domestic red-ball tournament, the Duleep Trophy, kicks off on August 28! Six zonal teams will battle it out until September 15.
Let Vegas11 break down the Duleep Trophy format and share our champion prediction! Every year, plenty of IPL stars sign up for this clash – don’t miss the action!
Duleep Trophy – India’s most popular red-ball tournament
When it comes to red-ball cricket, people will always think of the Duleep Trophy. It is India’s top domestic tournament, played in the Test format, where one match can go for four days.
If the two teams are equally strong, the game may even continue to the fifth day.
The red-ball games in the Trophy are more like a strategy battle, where you see how players use patience and skills to turn the match around!
Duleep Trophy 2025 → Back to 6 zones
The 2024 Duleep Trophy had 4 teams, but in 2025 it changes back to 6 zones.
The team squads are divided into North, East, South, West, Central and North-East Zone, and each zone will send their strongest 15-player squad.
The tournament starts on August 28 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, using a knockout format. South Zone and West Zone will go directly into the semi-finals, while the other four zones must play in the quarter-finals to fight for the final championship!
- Central Zone Duleep Trophy Squad
- East Zone Duleep Trophy Squad
- North East Zone Duleep Trophy Squad
- South Zone Duleep Trophy Squad
- West Zone Duleep Trophy Squad (Direct qualification to Semi-final)
- North Zone Duleep Trophy Squad (Direct qualification to Semi-final)
Duleep Trophy Winners List (All-Time Champions)
- 2024: India A (beat India C by 132 runs, Anantapur)
- 2023: South Zone (beat West Zone by 75 runs, Bengaluru)
- 2022-23: West Zone (beat South Zone by 294 runs, Coimbatore)
- 2019-20: India Red (beat India Green by an innings & 38 runs, Bengaluru)
- 2018-19: India Blue (beat India Red by an innings & 187 runs, Dindigul)
- 2017-18: India Red (beat India Blue by 163 runs, Lucknow)
- 2016-17: India Blue (beat India Red by 355 runs, Greater Noida)
- 2015-16: No tournament held
- 2014-15: Central Zone (beat South Zone by 9 wickets, Delhi)
- 2013-14: North Zone & South Zone (match drawn, Kochi)
All-Time Duleep Trophy Titles
| North Zone | 18 |
| West Zone | 18 |
| South Zone | 13 |
| Central Zone | 7 |
| East Zone | 2 |
While North and West Zone share the lead with 18 titles each, Central Zone is the team to watch in 2026, having recently clinched their 7th trophy under the leadership of Rajat Patidar.
Read More: Cricket Test Match Format: Why Do They Play for 5 Days?!
2025 Duleep Trophy Winner Prediction
Who will win the Duleep Trophy 2026 Title?
Since this year returns to the zonal format, most people see West Zone as the top favorite for the title, given that they have won the most Duleep Trophy championships in history.
At the same time, considering South Zone’s consistency, their 2023 championship performance, and their direct qualification to the 2025 semi-finals, South Zone also stands out as one of the strongest contenders for the 2025 Duleep Trophy crown.
Duleep Trophy uses Test format, each team gets 2 innings, totaling 4 innings.
The Duleep Trophy is played with the red-ball Test match format, not ODI. Each match can last up to five days, with every team getting 2 innings each (4 innings in total).
In other words, within those five days, both sides have two chances to bat. But the game may finish earlier if one team wins outright (for example, bowling the opponent out twice or building a massive lead), or it can even end in a draw if the weather interferes.
Read More: How Does Cricket Scoring Work? Explained with Pictures!
Duleep Trophy 2025 Schedule: 5 Matches from Aug 29 to Sep 15
The quarter-finals will be played from August 28 to 31, the semi-finals from September 4 to 7, and the final from September 11 to 15.
Duleep Trophy 2025 is super exciting with a knockout format – lose once and you’re out! Here’s the schedule:
Quarter-finals (Aug 28 – 31):
- North Zone vs East Zone
- Central Zone vs North-East Zone
Semi-finals (Sep 4 – 7):
- South Zone vs Winner of Quarter-final 1
- West Zone vs Winner of Quarter-final 2
Final (Sep 11 – 15):
- Winners of the semi-finals face off for the championship!
All Matches at BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground
The 2025 Duleep Trophy will be played across multiple venues inside the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, including Ground B. The final will be hosted at the main venue, Ground A.
The Bengaluru pitch is usually considered balanced for both batters and bowlers. In the early stages, it tends to favor the fast bowlers, as the new ball can generate extra bounce and movement off the surface.
As the match progresses, especially by the fourth and fifth day, the pitch often shows signs of wear, bringing more assistance to the spinners.
IPL Stars in the Duleep Trophy
This year, players from five zones include IPL stars in their squads – the only exception is the North-East Zone, which has no IPL players. Let’s take a look at the star cricketers from each team:
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Where to Watch Duleep Trophy Live
Want to catch all the exciting Duleep Trophy action? Indian fans have plenty of options!
Matches will be broadcast live on Sports18 Network TV, and online streaming is available on JioCinema or even on some Indian online betting platforms for free.
JioCinema not only provides live scores but also match highlights and player interviews to keep fans fully entertained.
Meanwhile, betting sites offer live streaming along with real-time scores and instant betting options!
In the 6-team zonal format, the defending champions and runners-up from the previous edition receive a “bye” to the semi-finals.
For the 2025-26 cycle, South and West Zone automatically skip the quarter-finals due to their 2023 performance.
