Rajat Patidar will lead Central Zone as the team looks to defend its Duleep Trophy title this season. The squad includes three other India internationals — Rinku Singh, left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Harsh Dubey, and fast bowler Yash Thakur — alongside Patidar.
Saransh Jain to Lead Spin Attack Alongside Dubey and Ansari
Patidar’s Madhya Pradesh team-mate Saransh Jain, who is also part of India’s Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka, will head the spin department. He will operate alongside Dubey and Uttar Pradesh legspinner Zeeshan Ansari, who returned to red-ball cricket after a five-year gap during India A’s recent tour of Sri Lanka.
The selectors have rewarded Vidarbha opener Aman Mokhade for a breakout 2025-26 Ranji season that earned him an India A call-up. Mokhade scored 760 runs in 11 innings at an average of 76 last season. Chhattisgarh opener Ayush Pandey, who also debuted for India A in Sri Lanka, has earned a place in the squad on similar merit.
Yash Rathod, another Vidarbha batter who has built a strong record over the past two seasons, will feature in the middle order alongside Patidar. The batting unit carries both experience and recent domestic form heading into the tournament.
Bowling and Wicketkeeping Options Take Shape
Central Zone’s fast-bowling attack includes Thakur along with Vidarbha’s Nachiket Bhute and Madhya Pradesh left-arm swing bowler Arshad Khan. The pace unit blends international experience with domestic depth, giving the team multiple options depending on conditions.
Uttar Pradesh’s Aryan Juyal is set to be the first-choice wicketkeeper. Kunal Singh Rathore has been named as his understudy, providing cover in that role through the campaign.
Central Zone Get Direct Semi-Final Entry
As defending champions, Central Zone have received a bye into the semi-finals, skipping the tournament’s opening round entirely. The team will face the winner of the match between East Zone and North East Zone when the semi-finals begin on August 30.
The Duleep Trophy gets underway on August 23 at the CoE grounds in Bengaluru, marking the start of the Indian domestic season. The final has been scheduled for September 6, giving the tournament roughly a two-week window to reach its conclusion.
Central Zone’s squad blends the experience of established India players with several names who impressed selectors on the recent India A tour of Sri Lanka. The zone will look to convert its head start in the tournament, courtesy of the bye, into another title.
Central Zone squad for Duleep Trophy
Rajat Patidar (capt), Aryan Juyal (wk), Saransh Jain, Aman Mokhade, Kunal Chandela, Zeeshan Ansari, Aryan Pandey, Arshad Khan, Rinku Singh (vice-captain), Ayush Pandey, Yash Rathod, Harsh Dubey, Kunal Singh Rathod (wk), Yash Thakur, Nachiket Bhute
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