Rathod’s Career-Best 194, Jain’s All-Round Brilliance Power Central Zone to Duleep Trophy Title

Rathod’s Career-Best 194, Jain’s All-Round Brilliance Power Central Zone to Duleep Trophy Title

Central Zone clinched their first Duleep Trophy title in nearly 11 years with a composed six-wicket win over South Zone on the final day of the 2025 final at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. A career-best 194 from Yash Rathod, an all-round performance by Saransh Jain, and a crucial 101 from Rajat Patidar in the first innings were key to Central's dominance throughout the contest.

Chasing a modest target of 65 runs on the fifth morning, Central stuttered briefly, losing four wickets, but Rathod and Akshay Wadkar held their nerve to guide the side to victory. Rathod fittingly struck the winning runs, punching V Koushik through the covers to seal the win in 20.3 overs.

Score Summary:

  • Central Zone: 511 (Rathod 194, Patidar 101, Jain 69; Gurjapneet 4-124) & 66/4 (Wadkar 19*, Rathod 13*; Gurjapneet 2-21)

  • South Zone: 149 (Tanmay 31; Jain 5-49, Kartikeya 4-53) & 426 (Ankit 99, Siddarth 84*; Kartikeya 4-110, Jain 3-130)

  • Result: Central Zone won by six wickets

Rathod, Jain, and Patidar Lead the Way

Rathod’s elegant 194 — the highest of his career — laid the foundation for Central’s mammoth first-innings total of 511. He was well supported by Patidar, who scored a brisk century, and Saransh Jain, whose valuable 69 added depth to the innings.

Jain was the standout performer with the ball as well, claiming match figures of 8 for 179, including a five-wicket haul (5-49) in the first innings that helped bundle South out for just 149. Left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya also chipped in with seven wickets across both innings.

In the second innings, South Zone mounted a spirited comeback, with Ankit Sharma scoring 99 and Washington Siddarth remaining unbeaten on 84. Despite posting a resilient 426, South gave Central only a modest target of 65 — a chase that briefly looked tricky on a pitch offering spin and seam movement.

Final Day Drama

With early morning moisture in the surface, Ankit Sharma and Gurjapneet Singh extracted enough from the pitch to keep South in the contest. Gurjapneet struck twice, while Ankit accounted for two more, reducing Central to 49 for 4.

Danish Malewar, Shubham Sharma, Saransh Jain, and Rajat Patidar all fell cheaply, but Wadkar played a composed hand, including a stylish back-foot punch through midwicket and a square drive, to steady the nerves. Rathod then capped off his memorable match by finishing the job.

Title Glory After 11 Years

This win marks Central Zone’s seventh Duleep Trophy title (including one shared) and their first since the 2014–15 season — where coincidentally, they also beat South Zone in the final.

With emerging talents like Rathod and Jain stepping up on the big stage, and experienced campaigners like Patidar holding firm, Central Zone’s triumph was built on a blend of flair and resilience — a fitting end to a long-awaited title run.