The 2024–25 Duleep Trophy, the 61st edition of India’s esteemed first-class cricket competition, is well underway, having started on 5 September 2024. The tournament will conclude on 22 September 2024. This year’s competition departs from the traditional zonal format, featuring four teams—India A, India B, India C, and India D—each selected by national selectors. As the teams battle it out for the prestigious title, South Zone, the defending champions, are eager to uphold their legacy in this revamped format.
2024–25 Duleep Trophy Participating Teams and Key Players
Unlike previous editions that used the zonal format, the 2024–25 Duleep Trophy brings together India’s top cricketing talent, distributed among the four squads: India A, B, C, and D. This change ensures a more balanced competition, with key players like Shubman Gill (India A), Mayank Agarwal (India B), and Ruturaj Gaikwad (India D) leading their respective teams.
The squads boast a mix of seasoned veterans and promising newcomers. Players like Sarfaraz Khan, Ishan Kishan, and Devdutt Padikkal provide solid batting lineups, while bowlers such as Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, and Avesh Khan are crucial to their team’s success. With the tournament spanning 5–22 September, each team will play the others once, making consistency and strategy pivotal.
Round-Robin Format and Duleep Trophy Strategic Point System
The 2024–25 Duleep Trophy features a round-robin format where each team plays three matches, with the highest-scoring team at the end being declared the champion. This format eliminates knockout rounds, making every match pivotal. Points are awarded based on match outcomes: 7 points for a win by 10 wickets or innings, 6 points for an outright win, 3 points for a first innings lead, and 1 point for a loss on the first innings. This point system highlights the significance of dominating not just to win but to secure a commanding lead in the first innings, as outright victories in multi-day cricket can be challenging.
First Two Rounds: Duleep Trophy Highlights and Key Performances
The first round, held from 5–8 September, provided exciting action. India B defeated India A by 76 runs in a hard-fought contest. Musheer Khan was the standout performer for India B, scoring an impressive 181, while Akash Deep contributed with 5 wickets in the second innings. India C overcame India D in a low-scoring match, thanks to Manav Suthar’s remarkable 7-wicket haul, clinching victory by 4 wickets.
The second round, played from 12–15 September, showcased more thrilling cricket. India C posted a commanding 357/5 against India B, with Ishan Kishan’s century proving crucial. Meanwhile, India A faced India D, with Shams Mulani’s unbeaten 88 leading India A to a solid position at the end of Day 1. These early matches have set the stage for an exciting conclusion in the final round from 19–22 September.
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