Indian cricketers must not skip the Duleep Trophy 2025 and that demand is “non-negotiable”, the BCCI has said ahead of the tournament that sets up the domestic competitive season.
The board intervened after South Zone excluded some of India’s leading names — including K L Rahul and Mohammed Siraj — from its squad. With the tournament beginning on August 28 in Bengaluru, the BCCI sent a letter to state associations to say that the presence of centrally contracted players is “non-negotiable” if the competition is to hold its place as a premier first-class tournament according to a report published by The Indian Express.
BCCI’s new directive
The letter sent by Abey Kuruvilla, general manager of cricket operations at Board of Control for Cricket in India, said all available India players must feature in their zonal squads. The communication further specified that any player opting out would require prior approval from the national coach, the chairman of selectors, and the BCCI itself. Without this clearance, they risk losing selection opportunities for upcoming India assignments.
Why domestic matter
The move was prompted after South Zone announced its squad on July 27 without the likes of Rahul, Washington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna, Sai Sudharsan, and Siraj. This omission raised concerns that premier domestic tournaments were being sidelined by both players and selectors. According to the board, ensuring India’s top talent participates is critical to upholding the prestige and competitive quality of the event.
Game for home
While Rahul and Siraj’s absence triggered the strongest reaction, the directive applies across zones. Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Shreyas Iyer are among the centrally contracted stars expected to line up for their regional sides. South Zone had named Tilak Varma as captain initially, but it remains to be seen whether the squad composition changes after the BCCI’s intervention.
BCCI’s domestic focus
In recent years, the board has expressed concern over a growing pattern of players prioritising the Indian Premier League over red-ball cricket and overlooking domestic tournaments. To counter this, the BCCI last year made participation in domestic competitions mandatory for all international players unless officially exempted. This broader push is aimed at strengthening India’s domestic structure, ensuring younger players gain exposure by competing alongside or against established internationals, and reinforcing the value of tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, and Deodhar Trophy in preparing cricketers for international duty.