The 2025-26 Duleep Trophy, marking the return of the prestigious tournament to its traditional zonal format, is set to commence on August 28, 2025, at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The tournament, running until September 15, 2025, will feature six zonal teams—North Zone, East Zone, South Zone, West Zone, Central Zone, and North East Zone—competing in a knockout format. However, a significant development has emerged: North Zone captain Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the tournament due to illness, as confirmed by the BCCI medical team. This article provides the latest updated squads for all zones, incorporating Gill’s absence and other key updates, as the tournament prepares to kick off India’s 2025-26 domestic cricket season.
Shubman Gill Ruled Out: Impact on North Zone
Shubman Gill, the India Test captain and designated leader of North Zone, will miss the Duleep Trophy due to a viral fever, with blood tests confirming his unfitness for the tournament. While this is a setback for North Zone, there is optimism regarding his recovery, with no concerns raised about his availability for the upcoming Asia Cup starting September 9, 2025. To address Gill’s absence, North Zone has named Shubham Rohilla as his replacement, ensuring the team remains competitive. This change adds intrigue to North Zone’s campaign, as they face East Zone in the quarter-finals on August 28.
Updated Squads for Duleep Trophy 2025
Below are the latest squads for all six zones, reflecting recent updates including replacements and standby players, as sourced from recent reports:
Central Zone
- Captain: Dhruv Jurel
- Squad: Dhruv Jurel (c, wk), Rajat Patidar (vc, subject to fitness clearance), Aryan Juyal (wk), Danish Malewar, Yash Rathod, Harsh Dubey, Manav Suthar, Shubham Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar, Kuldeep Yadav, Aditya Thakare, Sanjeet Desai, Saransh Jain, Aayush Pandey
- Standby: Upendra Yadav (wk), Madhav Kaushik, Yash Thakur, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Mahipal Lomror, Kuldeep Sen
- Notes: Rajat Patidar’s participation is subject to fitness clearance, adding a layer of caution to Central Zone’s preparations. The squad boasts international stars like Kuldeep Yadav and Deepak Chahar, making them a formidable unit.
East Zone
- Captain: Ishan Kishan Ruled Out, Abhimanyu Easwaran to lead
- Squad: Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Kumar Kushagra (wk), Riyan Parag, Virat Singh, Sridam Paul, Utkarsh Singh, Mohammed Shami, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Denish Das, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Manishi, Sandeep Pattnaik, Sharandeep Singh, Aashirwad Swain
- Standby: Sudip Kumar Gharami, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Mukhtar Hussain, Aasirwad Swain, Swastik Samal, Rahul Singh
- Notes: East Zone sees the return of Mohammed Shami to red-ball cricket, a significant boost. However, Akash Deep has been ruled out of the first match, with Mukhtar Hussain named as his replacement from the standby list.
North Zone
- Captain: Ankit Kumar (vc, assuming captaincy in Gill’s absence)
- Squad: Shubham Rohilla (replacing Shubman Gill), Ankit Kumar (vc), Kanhaiya Wadhawan (wk), Ayush Badoni, Yash Dhull, Shubham Khajuria, Nishant Sindhu, Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Dagar, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Auqib Nabi, Ankit Kalsi, Sahil Lotra
- Standby: Shubham Arora, Nishunk Birla, Jaskaranvir Singh Paul, Ravi Chauhan, Abid Mushtaq, Umar Nazir, Divesh Sharma
- Notes: With Shubman Gill sidelined, Shubham Rohilla steps in, and Ankit Kumar is likely to lead the side. The team includes promising pacers like Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, with replacements ready for potential Asia Cup call-ups (Gurnoor Brar for Arshdeep, Anuj Thakral for Harshit).
North East Zone
- Captain: Rongsen Jonathan
- Squad: Rongsen Jonathan (c), Hem Bahadur Chetri, Bishworjit Singh Konthoujam, Akash Kumar Choudhary, Jehu Anderson, Aryan Borah, Techi Doria, Arpit Subash Bhatewara (wk), Lamabam Ajay Singh, Yumnam Karnajit, Pheiroijam Jotin Singh, Sedezhalie Rupero, Palzor Tamang, Ashish Thapa, Ankur Malik
- Standby: Kamsha Yangfo, Rajkumar Rex Singh, Bobby Zothansanga, Dippu Sangma, Pukhrambam Prafullomani Singh, Lee Yong Lepcha, Imliwati Lemtur
- Notes: North East Zone, representing emerging cricketing regions, aims to make an impact with a mix of young talent, facing Central Zone in the quarter-finals.
South Zone
- Captain: Tilak Varma
- Squad: Tilak Varma (c), Mohammed Azharuddeen (vc, wk), Narayan Jagadeesan (wk), Tanmay Agarwal, Ricky Bhui, Snehal Kauthankar, Devdutt Padikkal, Salman Nizar, N Basil, Gurjapneet Singh, MD Nidheesh, R Sai Kishore, T Thyagarajan, T Vijay, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Mohit Kale
- Standby: Mohit Redkar, R Smaran, Ankit Sharma, Eden Apple Tom, Andre Siddarth, Shaikh Rasheed
- Notes: South Zone, led by Tilak Varma, includes four Kerala players following their strong Ranji Trophy performance. The absence of Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar suggests potential national commitments.
West Zone
- Captain: Shardul Thakur
- Squad: Shardul Thakur (c), Saurabh Nawale (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harvik Desai (wk), Aarya Desai, Shreyas Iyer, Sarfaraz Khan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Jaymeet Patel, Manan Hingrajia, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, Arzan Nagwaswalla
- Standby: Not specified
- Notes: West Zone, led by Shardul Thakur, features a strong batting line-up with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, and Sarfaraz Khan. The omission of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane signals a focus on younger talent.
Tournament Schedule and Format
The Duleep Trophy 2025 will feature two quarter-finals on August 28–31 (North Zone vs. East Zone and Central Zone vs. North East Zone), with South Zone and West Zone directly entering the semi-finals on September 4–7. The final, the only five-day match, is scheduled for September 11–15. All matches will be played at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Grounds in Bengaluru, ensuring a centralized and high-quality setup.
Key Players to Watch
Despite Gill’s absence, the tournament remains a platform for both established and emerging stars. Mohammed Shami’s return to red-ball cricket for East Zone is a major highlight, while Shreyas Iyer and Sarfaraz Khan aim to bolster their Test credentials for West Zone. Tilak Varma’s leadership for South Zone and Dhruv Jurel’s captaincy for Central Zone add further intrigue. Young talents like Yash Dhull (North Zone) and Riyan Parag (East Zone) are expected to shine, making this a crucial tournament for India’s Test team selection.
Conclusion
The Duleep Trophy 2025 promises intense competition and regional pride as it returns to its zonal roots. Shubman Gill’s absence is a blow to North Zone, but the inclusion of Shubham Rohilla and the leadership of Ankit Kumar keep their prospects alive. With strong squads across all zones and a mix of veterans and youngsters, the tournament is set to deliver thrilling cricket and potentially shape India’s future Test line-up. Stay tuned for live updates and match highlights as the action unfolds in Bengaluru.
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