The Duleep Trophy 2025 was a big deal in Indian cricket. It came back to the old zonal style, making it a tough start to the red-ball season. Many top India players were busy with the Asia Cup or India A games, so young and home stars got a clear shot to shine. National selectors watched every ball. Central Zone won the whole thing after 11 years, thanks to great team play and amazing solo shows. This article looks at the five best players: Rajat Patidar, Yash Rathod, Danish Malewar, Saransh Jain, and Auqib Nabi. They are now strong picks for the India team.
Quick Look at the Tournament
Central Zone ruled the show. They mixed strong players from Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh states. Vidarbha just won the Ranji Trophy, and Madhya Pradesh added leaders like captain Rajat Patidar and spinners Saransh Jain and Kumar Kartikeya. This made them a tight team used to winning big games.
| Category | Player | Team | Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most Runs | Rajat Patidar | Central Zone | 382 runs |
| Yash Rathod | Central Zone | 374 runs | |
| Danish Malewar | Central Zone | 352 runs | |
| Highest Score | Ayush Badoni | North Zone | 204* |
| Most Wickets | Saransh Jain | Central Zone | 16 wickets |
| Harsh Dubey | Central Zone | 10 wickets | |
| Auqib Nabi | North Zone | 6 wickets | |
| Best Bowling | Manishi | East Zone | 6/111 |
| Player of the Tournament | Saransh Jain | Central Zone | 138 runs & 16 wickets |
| Player of the Final | Yash Rathod | Central Zone | 194 runs |
Four of our top five are from Central Zone. Auqib Nabi from North Zone made the list with one epic spell.
1. Rajat Patidar: The Steady Leader and Batsman
Rajat Patidar, 32, was the top run-maker with 382 runs in five innings. He scored 125, 66, and 77 early on. In the final, he hit 101 off 115 balls when Central was 74/2. His 12 fours and two sixes helped build a big score of 260 before he got out. He mixed smart defense with quick hits, like smashing spin over the boundary.
As captain, he led Central to the win. He picked to bowl first in the final on a dry pitch, and his spinners took over. This came after he won the IPL with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Selectors saw this and made him India A captain right after.
Patidar has over 4,700 first-class runs at 43 average, with 13 hundreds. He is ready for India Tests again.
2. Yash Rathod: The Tough Middle-Order Rock
Yash Rathod, 25, scored 374 runs. His best was 194 in the final, over eight hours, helping Central reach 511. He fell short of 200 by six runs but won Player of the Match. He built big stands: 167 with Patidar and 176 with Saransh Jain. He played safe, waiting for bad balls.
This fits his Ranji style—he topped with 960 runs for champion Vidarbha. After early skips, like missing India U-19, he worked hard. His first-class average is over 50.
Rathod stays calm under pressure. He told friends he’d score big in the final—and he did. He can anchor India’s middle order for years.
3. Danish Malewar: The Young Opener Star
Danish Malewar, 21, grabbed eyes with 352 runs. He hit 203 in the quarter-final before retiring out. In the semi-final vs West Zone stars like Shreyas Iyer, he made 50 to win the lead.
He bats cool, like old pros Rahul Dravid or Cheteshwar Pujara. Strong defense lets him grind and then attack. In 10 first-class games, he has five 50-plus scores.
His Ranji debut was huge: 783 runs at 52 average for Vidarbha’s title. He could be India’s number 3 soon, with time to grow.
4. Saransh Jain: The All-Rounder Hero
Saransh Jain, 32, was Player of the Tournament with 138 runs and 16 wickets. In the final, he took 5/49 to bowl South out for 149. Then he scored 69, partnering Rathod for 176. He added 3 more wickets later, with 8 total in the match.
In semis, he took 8 wickets too. As an off-spinner, he uses tricks and works well with partner Kumar Kartikeya. He breaks stands smartly.
Jain is like Ravichandran Ashwin or Axar Patel—a spinner who bats well. At 32, he is set for India home Tests, adding balance.
5. Auqib Nabi: The Fast Bowler Surprise
Auqib Nabi, 28, from North Zone, took 6 wickets but one spell was magic. In quarters vs East, he got four in four balls—the first in Duleep history. It started with a hat-trick, then one more. He ended with 5/28, wrecking the innings. Only Kapil Dev and one other had a hat-trick here before.
This built on his Ranji blast: 49 wickets in 9 games at 13 average for Jammu & Kashmir, with six five-wicket hauls.
India needs fast wicket-takers. Nabi’s big spells make him a top pick.
What It Means Next
These five fix India’s needs. Patidar and Jain are quick adds for batting and spin balance. Rathod and Malewar are future anchors. Nabi brings speed fire.
Watch them in Irani Cup. The Duleep Trophy 2025 shows India’s home cricket is strong and full of hope for Tests.
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