India's domestic season 2025/26 started on August 28 as all top performers from Ranji Trophy 2024/25 and India probables from six zonal teams around India competed for the Duleep Trophy 2025 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
In the knockout competition, the Rajat Patidar-led Central Zone defeated North East Zone, followed by a star-studded West Zone, to reach the final.
On the other hand, the South Zone faced the North Zone in the semi-final to make their way to the final against the Central Zone.
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Here's how the match panned out.
Central Zone clinches the Duleep Trophy under Rajat Patidar captaincy
After winning the toss, Patidar put South Zone to bat first. The in-form Saransh Jain took his second five-wicket haul of the competition supported by Kumar Kartikeya's 4/53.
Top run-scorer from Ranji Trophy 2024/25, Yash Rathod continued his good momentum and slammed a 192(286) alongside Patidar's fourth consecutive fifty-plus score and second century of the tournament to guide them to a 352-run lead.
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Double-centurion from the QF, Danish Malewar chipped in with an important 53(120) at the top as well, followed by Saransh's 69, while Gurjapneet Singh and Ankit Sharma scalped four wickets each.
Fifties from Ravichandran Smaran (67), Andre Siddarth (84) and Ankit Sharma (99) took the match to the final day, but the Central Zone chased down the 66 runs by 6 wickets.
As Central Zone clinched the title, Rathod was named Player of the Match for his 194, and Saransh was named Player of the Tournament for his 16 wickets and 136 runs. Captain Patidar finished the tournament as the highest scorer with 382 runs at an average of 74.40.
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In terms of positives for South Zone, Gurjapneet's 10 wickets in 3 innings helped him stage some resistance after playing catch-up for most of the final.
Next, Ranji champions Vidarbha will face the Rest of India team in an Irani Cup match in Nagpur on October 1.