South Zone Stands Firm On Selection Policy

South Zone has chosen to stick with its originally announced squad, with Tilak Varma named captain as the only centrally contracted player. The selectors defended their stance by insisting that the Duleep Trophy should remain a platform for Ranji Trophy performers, rather than being used as a match practice ground for established internationals.

One South Zone official reportedly highlighted Kerala’s impressive Ranji season, where the team finished runners-up, arguing that such domestic achievements deserved recognition over parachuting star names into the squad.

BCCI’s Firm Directive

The BCCI, however, has made its displeasure clear. In an email communication, the board reiterated that all available Indian players must participate in the Duleep Trophy unless they are on national duty or ruled out due to injury. Officials argued that the tournament’s prestige and competitiveness hinge on the presence of India’s top cricketers.

Other Zones Followed Instructions

Interestingly, other zones have complied with the BCCI directive:

Central Zone: Included Kuldeep Yadav, Rajat Patidar, Dhruv Jurel

East Zone: Picked Mohammed Shami, Ishan Kishan, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep

West Zone: Selected Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan

North Zone: Named Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana (though Gill is expected to miss out due to illness)

This contrast has further fueled debates about the South Zone’s hardline stance.

South Zone Squad:  Tilak Varma (captain), Mohammed Azharuddeen (vice-captain, wk), Tanmay Agarwal, Devdutt Padikkal, Mohit Kale, Salman Nizar, N Jagadeesan (wk), T Vijay, R Sai Kishore, Tanay Thyagarajan, Vyshak Vijaykumar, MD Nidheesh, Ricky Bhui, Basil NP, Gurjapneet Singh, Snehal Kauthankar

Duleep Trophy 2025 Format

The 2025-26 Duleep Trophy will be played in its traditional zonal format from August 28 to September 15, with South Zone receiving a direct semifinal spot as last year’s runners-up.