The Duleep Trophy, India’s oldest First-Class inter-zonal competition, returns on August 23, opening a new season of the tournament that has anchored the country’s domestic cricket calendar since 1961/62. Named after the legendary Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji, the competition has long served as a proving ground for players eyeing India selection, with its format shifting over six decades between zonal contests (North, South, East, West, Central) and, briefly, India colour teams (Blue, Red, Green) between 2016 and 2019, before a return to zones in recent years.
Central Zone heads into the new season as defending champion, having beaten South Zone in the 2025/26 final. The zone has been a resurgent force in recent editions, adding to a title tally that includes wins in 1971/72, 1996/97, 1998/99, 2004/05 and 2014/15.
South Zone will look to atone for last season’s final defeat, while North Zone — the record 10-plus-time champion of the modern zonal era — and West Zone, winner of the inaugural edition in 1961/62, remain the tournament’s traditional powerhouses. East Zone, the competition’s most infrequent winner, will hope to spring a surprise.
Here is the full list of Duleep Trophy winners since 1961/62:
1961/62 – West Zone
1962/63 – West Zone
1963/64 – South Zone and West Zone (shared)
1964/65 – West Zone
1965/66 – South Zone
1966/67 – South Zone
1967/68 – South Zone
1968/69 – West Zone
1969/70 – West Zone
1970/71 – South Zone
1971/72 – Central Zone
1972/73 – West Zone
1973/74 – North Zone
1974/75 – South Zone
1975/76 – South Zone
1976/77 – West Zone
1977/78 – West Zone
1978/79 – North Zone
1979/80 – North Zone
1980/81 – West Zone
1981/82 – West Zone
1982/83 – North Zone
1983/84 – North Zone
1984/85 – South Zone
1985/86 – West Zone
1986/87 – South Zone
1987/88 – North Zone
1988/89 – North Zone and West Zone (shared)
1989/90 – South Zone
1990/91 – North Zone
1991/92 – North Zone
1992/93 – North Zone
1993/94† – North Zone
1994/95† – North Zone
1995/96† – South Zone
1996/97 – Central Zone
1997/98 – Central Zone and West Zone (shared)
1998/99 – Central Zone
1999/00 – North Zone
2000/01† – North Zone
2001/02† – West Zone
2002/03† – Elite C
2003/04 – North Zone
2004/05 – Central Zone
2005/06 – West Zone
2006/07 – North Zone
2007/08 – North Zone
2008/09 – West Zone
2009/10 – West Zone
2010/11 – South Zone
2011/12 – East Zone
2012/13 – East Zone
2013/14 – North Zone and South Zone (shared)
2014/15 – Central Zone
2015/16 – No competition
2016/17 – India Blue
2017/18 – India Red
2018/19 – India Blue
2019/20 – India Red
2020/21 – No competition
2021/22 – No competition
2022/23 – West Zone
2023 – South Zone
2024/25† – India A
2025/26 – Central Zone
Published on Aug 22, 2026
