Duleep Trophy (India) 2022/23

The Duleep Trophy stands as a premier domestic first-class cricket tournament in India, established by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the 1961–62 season. It honours K.S. Duleepsinhji, a pioneering Indian cricketer who played for England. Within the domestic pyramid, the competition serves as a senior first-class event and a developmental platform just below international cricket. It operates as a secondary championship alongside the Ranji Trophy, the primary state-based first-class competition.

The tournament features six fixed zonal teams: North Zone, South Zone, East Zone, West Zone, Central Zone, and North East Zone. These zones represent composite squads selected from players of various state associations within their geographical region, rather than the state teams themselves. The format has undergone significant reforms since its inception. It began as a knockout tournament before switching to a league format in 1993–94. Later iterations experimented with guest international teams and selector-picked teams named India Blue, Red, and Green. The 2024–25 edition temporarily used four teams in a round-robin format, but the structure reverted to the traditional six-team zonal setup for the 2025–26 season. Matches are played over four days.

Participation is based on selection from Ranji Trophy performers, with no promotion or relegation. West Zone holds the record for the most titles with 19, followed by North Zone with 18 and South Zone with 13. The current holder is Central Zone, following their victory in the 2025–26 edition. Individual records include Raman Lamba’s highest individual score of 320 and Wasim Jaffer’s record for most career runs at 2,545. The competition distinguishes itself by mixing players from different states into zonal teams to foster higher competitiveness and provide national team trial opportunities.