Bengaluru had a special day as Rathod, Patidar, and Jain helped Central win the Duleep Trophy Final.
The 2025 Duleep Trophy Final in Bengaluru had everything that you love about the best form of cricket: it had grit, it had nerves, it had momentum, and a finale that left you on the edge of your seat. Central won the title – their seventh title – after an agonising 11-year wait, chasing down South Zone with a six-wicket victory.
To be fair, the official 2025 Duleep scorecard of the match will reflect that Central was chasing a rather comfortable 65 runs, however, all was not so straight forward for the Central players, when at 44/4 in the morning they collapsed and gave the dressing room a little fright before Yash Rathod’s calm bat revealed everything with an exquisite cover drive, a moment that summarised the entire tournament for Central. They were under siege but showed resilience, so the South Zone offered too much to overcome.
Central Zone Dominate Early
The Duleep Trophy Final kicked off with South Zone winning the toss and electing to bat first on a track that was offering a good deal of turn. It didn’t work out. From the first hour, spinners Kumar Kartikeya and Saransh Jain took over. The ball gripped, bounced and troubled nearly every one of their batters. South crumbled for just 149 – Kartikeya 4/53 and Jain 3/49.
Central’s batting response was authoritative. Rathod walked in, focused, but not flashy. He compiled an enormous 194, batting for over 400 balls. At the other end, skipper Rajat Patidar played fluently and put up a buoyant 101. Their 200-plus partnership helped bury South under pressure. By the time Central were bowled out for 511, they had built up a monstrous lead of 362. By then, on the Duleep 2025 score card, the lead looked big enough already.
South Zone Fight Back
The match might have finished there, yet South Zone was not ready to concede. Their opening batsmen negotiated the new ball before middle-order batsman Ankit Sharma provided stability with a determined 78. Contributions from Mohammed Azharuddeen and Andre Siddarth soon followed as South pushed to 426.
Backbreaking work for Central’s bowlers, Jain provided the five; Kartikeya had four and in the end; control of the game was assured. South had restored pride in the score, but still, with the total only 65 for a victory against the last day and Central on paper were heavy favorites. All the Duleep Trophy Final needed was one more twist.
Final Day Drama
Nerves of the morning started creeping in. Ankit Sharma got early rewards by dismissing Danish Malewar. Then it was Shubham Sharma, and then Saransh Jain fell trying to defend the turn. Patidar then perished, just like the others, to reach 44/4. What we thought would be a formality, was now a contest. Fans kept on the Duleep 2025 score update in their fingers, because they thought just one more wicket might change the match. But Rathod, who started his stardom in the first innings, was rock solid. The defending was calm, and then that glorious cover drive ended the chase with flair.
Top Performers – Duleep Trophy Final 2025
- Man of the Match: Yash Rathod – scored 194 in the first innings and remained unbeaten during a tense chase.
- Player of the Tournament: Saransh Jain – took 16 wickets and made 136 runs over three matches.
- Top Run Scorer: Rajat Patidar – 382 runs made.
- Second Top Run Scorer: Rathod – 374 runs made.
- Third Top Run Scorer: Danish Malewar – 353 runs made.
- Most Wickets: Jain – 16 wickets taken.
- Turning Point of the Match: Rathod-Patidar had a 200 run plus stand in the first innings.
- Moment to Remember: Rathod’s cover drive to seal the win and end the 11-year drought.
Voices from the Camp
Captain Rajat Patidar appreciated the team’s performance, saying, “It’s a special victory. It was an eleven-year wait but everyone contributed. Rathod’s innings and Jain’s form made the difference.”
South Zone mentor L. Balaji confessed where they dropped the ball, “We could have batted better in the first innings and it would’ve been a different scenario. That said, I am proud of the lot. They will learn from this.”
Player of the Tournament Saransh Jain summarized the self-belief: “This tournament lays down the marker for the season. Contributing with bat and ball gives me confidence to take forward.”
Brief Scores – Duleep Trophy Final
- South Zone 1st Innings: 149 all out (Kartikeya 4/53, Jain 3/49)
- Central Zone 1st Innings: 511 all out (Rathod 194, Patidar 101)
- South Zone 2nd Innings: 426 all out (Ankit Sharma 78, Siddarth 52; Jain 5/130, Kartikeya 4/110)
- Central Zone 2nd Innings: 66/4 in 20.3 overs (target 65)
Result: Central Zone won by six wickets, securing their 7th Duleep Trophy and ending an 11-year wait.
What the Win Means
For Central Zone, winning the Duleep Trophy Final was more than a trophy. They were missing many first choice players on India A duty, meaning they had to depend on depth and character to get through their foes. The difference was Rathod’s patience with bat, Patidar’s captaincy, and Jain’s relentless spin.
For South Zone, the loss was disappointing, but their second fixture provided sufficient optimism. This young group will only grow a more formidable team from the experience even if the loss in Duleep 2025 does not display the character.
Above all, this edition of the Duleep has reaffirmed to fans why this has been one of India’s proud red-ball traditions – an opportunity for reputations and futures to be made and tested
Amit Mishra’s Take
The Duleep Trophy Final 2025 wasn’t just about a trophy, it was about redemption. Central Zone had the weight of 11 years without silverware and delivered trustworthy performances. Rathod became a bright future star, Patidar showed leadership values again, and Jain was the stealthy assassin with the ball in hand. All we will have in Duleep 2025 scorecards will be scores but between the scores is tenacity, belief and that domestic cricket can tell stories as engaging as any international conflict.. This win was more than history—it was Central Zone’s statement that they are back among India’s domestic powerhouses.
