The Duleep Trophy, one of India’s oldest and most esteemed domestic cricket tournaments, has long been a stage where not only the nation’s top cricketing talent, but also international stars, have showcased their skills. Though it may seem like a bygone era, there was a time when great cricketers like Kevin Pietersen, Mohammad Ashraful, and Thilan Samaraweera graced the Indian geographical zone of domestic Test cricket. (More Cricket News
In the early 2000s, the Duleep Trophy, named after former Indian international cricketer Duleepsinhji, provided overseas teams with an opportunity to shine under the Indian sky. This format was in place from the 2003-04 season to the 2007-08 season, a time when the tournament held high prestige.
After a decade in the shadows while Indian cricket stars focused on international competitions, the four-team Duleep Trophy tournament is set to make a comeback in 2024. The tournament will open the Indian domestic cricket season on September 5th and is expected to feature nearly all the prominent players from the current national squad.
However, batting maestro Virat Kohli, captain Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah are the only notable uncertainties, as their priority may be the Test series against Bangladesh.
Before looking ahead, let’s delve into the past, when Indian cricket gave visiting international players a domestic test.
Overseas Teams Participated in Duleep Trophy
England A
England A was the first overseas team to participate in the Duleep Trophy tournament. Back in 2003-04, when Indian legends like MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh played too, the English team lost the two matches played but didn't lose the opportunity to gain widespread admiration with the batting great like Kevin Pietersen who became the highest run-scorer of the tournament. The South African-born Englishman amassed 345 runs at an average of 86.25 in only four innings. North Zone lifted the trophy that year.
BCB XI
The second foreign team to compete in the Duleep Trophy was the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) XI, playing in the 2004-05 season. Although they did not win any matches, they managed to secure a draw in one game. After losing to the East Zone, they drew against the Central Zone. The Bangladeshi squad included former Test stars Mohammad Ashraful, Abdur Razzak, and Aftab Ahmed. The Central Zone ultimately claimed the title that season.
Zimbabwe Cricket President’s XI:
The next season (2005-06), theBoard of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) invited the Zimbabwe Cricket President’s XI to take part in the Duleep Trophy. The team featured notable players such as Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor, Prosper Utseya, and Graeme Cremer. Like England A, Zimbabwe could not win any game but appraisals was there whatsoever with Masakadza smashing a hundred and a fifty to his name and featuring in the top run-scorers list of the tournament. West Zone won the trophy by beating East in the final.
Sri Lanka A:
In the 2006-07 Duleep Trophy season, Sri Lanka A not only made a grand debut, but also became the first overseas team to secure a victory in the Indian domestic tournament. They won against the West Zone in their opening match. With key players like Thilan Samaraweera, Jehan Mubarak, Chamara Silva, and Rangana Herath, Sri Lanka A then advanced to the reached the summit clash handing defeat to the South Zone team. Unfortunately, the Lankans fell short in the final, losing to the North Zone.
England Lions:
Beginning with an English team and ending with another, the overseas format of the Duleep Trophy concluded with the English Lions in the 2007-08 season. This time, the Lions won one of their matches against the Central Zone but were defeated by the West Zone, thus exiting the tournament. The squad boasted several standout players who made a mark in their careers later, including Michael Carberry, Joe Denly, Ed Joyce, Jonathan Trott, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett, and Monty Panesar.
