The Duleep Trophy will commence on August 28, 2025, marking the beginning of the 2025–26 domestic cricket season, culminating with the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal Multi-Day Trophy on April 3, 2026. The Ranji Trophy, a cornerstone of India’s domestic cricket, is slated to begin on October 15, 2025. It will unfold in two phases: the initial phase from October 15 to November 19, 2025, followed by the Elite phase from January 22 to February 1, 2026.
Shreyas Iyer, the dynamic young batter, has been confirmed to participate in the Duleep Trophy, representing the West Zone. The zonal teams are expected to be finalized on Friday afternoon in Mumbai.
Other prominent players, including Sarfaraz Khan, middle-order Mumbai batsman, all-rounder Shivam Dube, and speed bowler Tushar Deshpande, have also expressed their availability to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).
Iyer’s contributions were instrumental in India’s victory at the Champions Trophy 2025 tournament, held in Dubai. He also played a key role in supporting Punjab Kings’ journey to the IPL 2025 final, where they were defeated by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in Ahmedabad.
The selectors did not include Iyer in the ongoing Test series in England, opting for Karun Nair due to his performance in recent domestic matches.
Tilak Varma has been appointed captain of the South Zone team, with experienced players like KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Washington Sundar being omitted from the squad.
