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Narayan Jagadeesan's near double century helps South Zone build a huge total against North Zone in the Duleep Trophy semifinals. The day saw strong batting performances and a tight contest as Central Zone began their reply to West Zone's big score.

Ruturaj Gaikwad continues to showcase his class in red-ball cricket after his stellar 184-run knock in the Duleep Trophy semis against Central Zone. His knock propelled the West Zone to put a fighting first-innings total.

Shreyas Iyer's Asia Cup snub puts him in the spotlight as he aims to prove his worth in the Duleep Trophy semifinal. West Zone boasts a star-studded lineup, while Central Zone relies on Patidar's form. Injury concerns plague both zones, while South and North Zone face off in the other semifinal, each grappling with squad changes and player unavailability.

Robin Uthappa suggests Cheteshwar Pujara's retirement might have been delayed, pointing to his exclusion from the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad as a potential turning point. Despite this, Uthappa lauded Pujara's unwavering dedication, recalling a Ranji Trophy match where Pujara's commitment to batting was evident. While the timing may be debated, Pujara's significant contribution to Indian Test cricket remains undeniable.

Indian cricketers including Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma have successfully cleared the pre-season fitness test at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.

Arshdeep Singh, after an unfortunate injury during the England Test series, showcased his readiness in the Duleep Trophy quarterfinal. Despite not playing, he utilised his time in England to hone his skills, focusing on strength and conditioning.

Shubman Gill, recovering from a viral flu, is expected to arrive in Bengaluru to begin Asia Cup preparations at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. He will undergo assessment and training due to unsuitable facilities near his home, and is likely to depart for Dubai from Bengaluru, joining other squad members.

In the Duleep Trophy quarterfinal, East Zone restricted North Zone to 308/6, highlighted by Mohammed Shami's return to First-Class cricket after a hiatus. Shami, initially rusty, improved his rhythm, taking 1/55. Young spinner Manishi's key strikes and Ayush Badoni's quickfire 63 also stood out.

Central Zone dominated the first day of the Duleep Trophy quarter-final, reaching 432 for 2 against North East Zone. Danish Malewar remained unbeaten on 198, while Rajat Patidar contributed a rapid 125. Their impressive partnership helped Central Zone build a strong foundation, with Malewar nearing a double century.

Rajat Patidar smashed a 96-ball century and Danish Malewar struck an unbeaten 198 to put Central Zone on top against North East Zone in the Duleep Trophy. Mohammed Shami also returned with a wicket for the East Zone against the North Zone.

Indian cricket fans expressed disappointment as the Duleep Trophy, a premier domestic tournament featuring stars like Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav, lacked live streaming. This edition marks a return to the zonal format and serves as a trial for the 'serious injury replacement substitute' rule.

Central Zone captain Dhruv Jurel and East Zone skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran are not playing the opening round of their respective Duleep Trophy matches in Bengaluru. In Jurel's absence, Rajat Patidar is leading Central Zone and Riyan Parag is leading East Zone.

The 2025–26 domestic season begins with the Duleep Trophy in Bengaluru, a tournament doubling as auditions for vacancy in India's Test line-up. With questions over No. 3, No. 6 and pace depth, batters like Devdutt Padikkal, Shreyas Iyer and Sarfraz Khan, along with bowlers Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar, aim to impress selectors ahead of home Test series against West Indies and South Africa.

Shreyas Iyer declined West Zone captaincy in the Duleep Trophy, leading to Shardul Thakur's appointment. Iyer, anticipating an Asia Cup call-up, focused on white-ball training but was surprisingly excluded from the squad. Meanwhile, Thakur is expected to lead Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, following Rahane's departure, after his strong red-ball performance and recent Test recall.

Shubman Gill, India's Test captain, is likely to miss the Duleep Trophy due to illness. Appointed captain of the North Zone team, Gill is resting in Chandigarh after medical examinations. Ankit Kumar will now lead the side, with Shubham Rohilla replacing Gill.