There is no doubt India has cricketing talent available in abundance. You can see streets and grounds jam-packed with players playing cricket.
I am sure you must have also played cricket at some point in time, as a professional or as a pastime.
For those who want to make a career out of the sport, India’s governing body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), organises several tournaments across the country.
Now, the Ranji Trophy’s name must have popped up in your mind. And why not? After all, it’s the premier First-Class tournament in India.
But there’s one more First-Class tournament that holds a special place in India’s cricketing history. Which tournament, you ask?
The Duleep Trophy.
Now, what is the Duleep Trophy? When was it started? And how has it been played?
Let’s dig into the history of the Duleep Trophy. Shall we?
Duleep Trophy
The BCCI launched the Duleep Trophy in the 1961-62 season. That marked the entry of another First-Class tournament to India’s domestic cricketing structure after the Ranji Trophy and Irani Trophy.
Since then, the red-ball competition has been held every season, except for 2 iterations in 2020-21 and 2021-22 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For the most part, the Duleep trophy has been contested by regional zones, with some tweaks in the last few seasons.
You will be surprised to know that BCCI also invited a few foreign teams to participate in the prestigious tournament for some seasons in the past.
But how did the trophy get its name?
Who is the Duleep Trophy named after?
The Duleep Trophy derives its name from the excellent Indian batter, Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji. He was the nephew of Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji, after whom the Ranji Trophy is named.
Cricket was in the blood of Duleepsinhji, which took him to the height of greatness. He followed in the footsteps of his uncle Ranji and went on to play cricket for England and Sussex between 1924 and 1932.
Duleep was a naturally gifted batter, with brilliant hand-eye coordination and superb footwork. His elegant batting method set him apart from the ordinary batters, putting him in a league of his own.
Duleep had a short international career with England, featuring in 12 Tests and scoring 995 runs at an average of 58.52. But he had an impeccable First-Class career, amassing 15485 runs in 205 matches at an average of almost 50!
Why was the Duleep Trophy started?
Before the Duleep Trophy came into existence, players showcased their skills and talent in the Ranji Trophy, representing their state teams. But around the 1960s, the administrators felt the Ranji Trophy’s playing standard was going down.
Thus, the BCCI came up with a zonal competition, putting the best cricketers of the country in the fray. Players from across India turned up for their zonal teams to clinch the trophy.
Also Read | Explained: Ranji Trophy Format, Teams, & Points System
The Evolution of the Duleep Trophy Format
As mentioned earlier, zonal teams contested the Duleep Trophy, with the tourney shuffling between knockout and league formats. From 1961-62 to 2001-02, 5 zonal teams — Central, East, North, South, and West — participated in the First-Class competition.
For the 2002-03 season, the BCCI replaced the zonal teams with 5 squads formed based on that season’s Ranji Trophy groups. The teams were Elite Group A, Elite Group B, Elite Group C, Plate Group A, and Plate Group B.
But the BCCI went back to its original zonal teams in the next season, along with inviting a foreign team. The 6-team tournament continued till the 2007-08 season, featuring England A/Lions, Bangladesh Cricket Board XI, Sri Lanka A, and Zimbabwe XI as guest teams.
From 2008-09 to 2014-15, the Duleep Trophy featured only the 5 zonal teams. In the 2016-17 season, the board decided to play the Duleep Trophy as day-night fixtures with pink balls, featuring 3 teams — India Blue, India Green, and India Red.
The format continued for 3 more seasons, with the 2019-20 season being played as day games. For the next 2 seasons, the tourney couldn’t take place due to Covid-19 restrictions.
For the 2022-23 and 2023 seasons, the Duleep Trophy went back to the zonal format, with the addition of one team — North East Zone. The 2024-25 season will have 4 teams — Team A, Team B, Team C, and Team D — as participants.
Which is the most successful team in the Duleep Trophy history?
West Zone is the most successful team, winning the Duleep Trophy 19 times. North Zone follows closely, emerging as winners on 18 occasions.
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