Duleep Trophy 2026-27 begins in Bengaluru as domestic season gets under way

The 2026-27 Duleep Trophy starts on Sunday at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, kicking off the domestic cricket calendar.

Once a key stepping stone to India selection, the inter-zonal Duleep Trophy has seen its standing decline with the rise of the IPL and India-A fixtures, though a strong showing against top Ranji players from the previous season still carries value; the tournament’s opening round will attract attention as players make their first moves of the campaign.

On paper the North Zone versus West Zone match is seen as the most competitive opening fixture, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s appearance for East against the North East on an adjacent ground is expected to draw interest; the cherubic 15-year-old is noted for a proven T20 game but faces twin red-ball tests, averaging 17.25 from eight First Class matches and serving as Ishan Kishan’s deputy.

East’s squad also includes Mohammed Shami, who last represented India more than 17 months ago; Shami took 37 wickets in Bengal’s dash to the Ranji semis in 2025-26, but was not selected thereafter.

North will be led by Kanhaiya Wadhawan and includes six of his Statemates, a selection echoing Jammu & Kashmir’s maiden Ranji triumph earlier this year; Ruturaj Gaikwad will marshal West Zone’s resources, with Mumbai batter Prithvi Shaw also in the mix.

Defending champions Central and runners-up South have been granted byes to the semifinals, while the next four days of play will determine their opponents; promotional material for the event lists six teams, five matches and fixtures starting 23rd August.

The opening round over the coming days will decide the pairings for the semifinals and set the course for who Central and South will face in their title defence and pursuit respectively.