The Duleep Trophy, once considered a stepping stone to the Indian Test team, is back with its traditional zonal format, and with it, renewed purpose. The 2025 edition kicked off on Thursday in Bengaluru, with North Zone taking on East Zone and Central Zone facing North East Zone in the quarterfinals. South Zone and 2023 finalists West Zone have earned direct entry into the semifinals.

All matches of the Duleep Trophy, that has often struggled with identity in recent years, are being hosted at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. From zonal face-offs to India ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’ teams, the Duleep Trophy had gone through several experimental phases over the past decade. But this year’s return to its original format is more than just nostalgic, it’s timely.

With India’s red-ball team undergoing a generational shift, this edition arrives at a critical juncture. The retirements of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, and R Ashwin, coupled with Rishabh Pant’s ongoing injury recovery, have created a vacuum in the Test setup. The selectors are now scouting for fresh middle-order and spin-bowling options, and the Duleep Trophy once again offers an ideal platform to audition.