Duleep Trophy winners List: All Champions from 1961-62 to 2025-26

Rajat Patidar had led Central Zone to its first Duleep Trophy title in close to 11 years last season. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

The Duleep Trophy, India’s oldest First-Class inter-zonal competition, returns on August 23, opening a new season of the tournament that has anchored the country’s domestic cricket calendar since 1961/62. Named after the legendary Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji, the competition has long served as a proving ground for players eyeing India selection, with its format shifting over six decades between zonal contests (North, South, East, West, Central) and, briefly, India colour teams (Blue, Red, Green) between 2016 and 2019, before a return to zones in recent years.

Central Zone heads into the new season as defending champion, having beaten South Zone in the 2025/26 final. The zone has been a resurgent force in recent editions, adding to a title tally that includes wins in 1971/72, 1996/97, 1998/99, 2004/05 and 2014/15.

South Zone will look to atone for last season’s final defeat, while North Zone — the record 10-plus-time champion of the modern zonal era — and West Zone, winner of the inaugural edition in 1961/62, remain the tournament’s traditional powerhouses. East Zone, the competition’s most infrequent winner, will hope to spring a surprise.

Here is the full list of Duleep Trophy winners since 1961/62:

1961/62 – West Zone

1962/63 – West Zone

1963/64 – South Zone and West Zone (shared)

1964/65 – West Zone

1965/66 – South Zone

1966/67 – South Zone

1967/68 – South Zone

1968/69 – West Zone

1969/70 – West Zone

1970/71 – South Zone

1971/72 – Central Zone

1972/73 – West Zone

1973/74 – North Zone

1974/75 – South Zone

1975/76 – South Zone

1976/77 – West Zone

1977/78 – West Zone

1978/79 – North Zone

1979/80 – North Zone

1980/81 – West Zone

1981/82 – West Zone

1982/83 – North Zone

1983/84 – North Zone

1984/85 – South Zone

1985/86 – West Zone

1986/87 – South Zone

1987/88 – North Zone

1988/89 – North Zone and West Zone (shared)

1989/90 – South Zone

1990/91 – North Zone

1991/92 – North Zone

1992/93 – North Zone

1993/94† – North Zone

1994/95† – North Zone

1995/96† – South Zone

1996/97 – Central Zone

1997/98 – Central Zone and West Zone (shared)

1998/99 – Central Zone

1999/00 – North Zone

2000/01† – North Zone

2001/02† – West Zone

2002/03† – Elite C

2003/04 – North Zone

2004/05 – Central Zone

2005/06 – West Zone

2006/07 – North Zone