The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has written to state associations, asking them to select the best available Indian players for the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2025–26. The move comes after some top names like KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, Sai Sudharsan, and Washington Sundar were not included in the South Zone squad.
According to a report by the Indian Express, the BCCI is keen to maintain the prestige of the Duleep Trophy and ensure that the domestic tournament features the highest level of competition. The tournament begins on August 28 in Bengaluru and will run alongside part of the Asia Cup 2025, leading to possible changes in squads.
In an email sent by Abey Kuruvilla, BCCI’s General Manager of Cricket Operations, the board made its position clear. The message urged zonal convenors and state associations to include all available India players in their respective teams.
“To uphold its prestige and ensure the highest quality of competition, it’s imperative that all currently available India players are selected for their respective zonal teams," Kuruvilla wrote. He further requested that zonal selectors treat this as mandatory, so the Duleep Trophy continues to attract attention and respect.
The email was prompted after selectors left out experienced names like KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj from the South Zone squad. Instead, younger players and uncapped talents were given preference. This raised concerns within the BCCI, which has been working for the past few years to improve the status of domestic tournaments.
The Duleep Trophy has historically been considered one of India’s most prestigious first-class tournaments, often acting as a stepping stone for players aspiring to represent India. However, in recent years, it has seen a dip in attention as top players have often skipped the competition due to international commitments or workload management. The BCCI is now making efforts to reverse that trend.
The board has already introduced a rule requiring centrally contracted players to take part in domestic tournaments when they are fit and available. Last year, BCCI had issued a similar reminder to players, and this fresh communication reinforces that stance.
Kuruvilla explained in his email: “Participation in domestic matches: All players, contracted or otherwise, who make themselves available for selection into Team India, shall participate in domestic matches conducted by BCCI. In case any player opts not to participate in any domestic cricket tournaments in spite of availability, he/she shall not be considered for selection unless a prior recommendation is obtained to skip the match/tournament.”
One of the challenges this year is the scheduling overlap between the Duleep Trophy and the Asia Cup 2025. Several players, including Shubman Gill (India’s Test captain), Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, and Tilak Varma, have been picked for both their zonal teams in the Duleep Trophy as well as India’s Asia Cup squad.
This means that some players will only be available for the early stages of the Duleep Trophy before leaving for the Asia Cup. As a result, teams are likely to see changes midway through the competition. Despite this, the BCCI wants all players who are not part of the Asia Cup squad, like KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, Sai Sudharsan, and Washington Sundar, to take part in the Duleep Trophy.
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For the South Zone squad, Tilak Varma has been named captain. The squad also includes names like Mohammed Azharuddeen (vice-captain), Tanmay Agarwal, Devdutt Padikkal, and Narayan Jagadeesan. While it is a strong team, the absence of some senior players drew criticism, leading to the BCCI’s intervention.
Here is the announced South Zone squad for the 2025 Duleep Trophy:
Tilak Varma (c)
Mohammed Azharuddeen (vc)
Tanmay Agarwal
Devdutt Padikkal
Mohit Kale
Salman Nizar
Narayan Jagadeesan
Tripurana Vijay
R Sai Kishore
Tanay Thyagarajan
Vijaykumar Vyshak
Nidheesh MD
Ricky Bhui
Basil NP
Gurjapneet Singh
Snehal Kauthankar
The tournament is expected to showcase exciting cricket, with both young domestic stars and experienced India internationals competing against each other in zonal teams. For selectors, it provides an opportunity to assess players in the longer format and under pressure situations.
With the BCCI’s clear direction, the Duleep Trophy 2025–26 could see a stronger lineup than in previous years, giving fans and selectors a better look at India’s cricketing depth.
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