Shubman Gill Named North Zone Captain for 2025-26 Duleep Trophy

Published by

CFLL Staff

Published on

07 Aug 2025 | 04:37 PM

India’s Test skipper Shubman Gill will lead the North Zone side in the upcoming 2025-26 Duleep Trophy, which marks the beginning of the domestic cricket season. The tournament is set to commence on August 28 at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, with the final scheduled between September 11 and 15.

CONTINGENCY PLANS IN PLACE FOR ASIA CUP CLASH

Gill's availability, however, hinges on whether he is selected for India’s squad for the 2025 Asia Cup, which overlaps with the Duleep Trophy. The Asia Cup will run from September 9 to 28. If Gill is drafted into the national side, Shubham Rohilla has been named as his replacement.

Likewise, should Arshdeep Singh or Harshit Rana be called up for Asia Cup duties, Gurnoor Brar and Anuj Thakral will step in for the Duleep Trophy.

KEY SELECTIONS AND SQUAD HIGHLIGHTS

The North Zone squad features a mix of youth and experience. Ankit Kumar, Haryana's leading run-scorer from last season with 574 runs in 14 innings at an average of 58.80, has been appointed vice-captain. Another notable inclusion from Haryana is Nishant Sindhu, the left-arm spin-bowling allrounder.

Three players from Delhi — Yash Dhull, Ayush Badoni, and Harshit Rana — have made the cut. All three are currently participating in the ongoing Delhi Premier League T20.

Jammu & Kashmir has strong representation in the squad with five players, including opening batter Shubham Khajuria and seamer Auqib Nabi, who impressed in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy by claiming 44 wickets in eight matches at an exceptional average of 13.93.

Pace Options Boosted by Test and Emerging Talent

The seam attack looks formidable with the inclusion of Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Anshul Kamboj — all of whom recently featured in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Their presence will significantly bolster North Zone’s pace resources.

REVISED TOURNAMENT FORMAT

After experimenting with a four-team format last season where teams were picked by the national selection committee the Duleep Trophy returns to its traditional zonal format. This year, squads are being selected by zonal panels, with one selector representing each state unit within the zone.

North Zone will open their campaign against East Zone on August 28.