By Krishna Dua 
Duleep Trophy 2025: Malewar’s Ton, Patidar’s Blitz, Fans’ Outrage
The Duleep Trophy 2025, which marks the start of India’s domestic cricket season, has begun with a bang, but not without controversy. While players on the field are delivering spectacular performances, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is facing a huge backlash from fans for its decision to not provide any live telecast or streaming of the tournament’s initial matches. The anger of the fans is in stark contrast to the on-field brilliance of players like Danish Malewar and Rajat Patidar, who both scored magnificent centuries on the opening day.
On-Field Action: A Showcase of Talent
The Duleep Trophy, which has returned to its traditional zonal format, kicked off with two quarter-final matches at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The most impressive performance came from the Central Zone batsmen, who completely dominated the North East Zone bowlers.
Leading the charge was the young Danish Malewar, who continued his rich vein of form from the domestic season. The 21-year-old from Vidarbha, who had a brilliant run in the Ranji Trophy, showed his class by scoring a classy century. His composed innings, which included 25 fours, was a testament to his strong technique and his ability to convert starts into big scores. With the number three spot in the Indian Test team still a point of discussion, Malewar’s performance has certainly put him on the selectors’ radar.
Joining him in the century-makers list was the Central Zone captain, Rajat Patidar. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper, who was recently in the news for his controversial omission from the Asia Cup 2025 squad, answered his critics in the most emphatic way possible. Patidar played a blistering innings, smashing a century off just 80 balls. His knock was a stunning display of power and aggression, which included 18 fours and 2 sixes, reminding everyone of the form that made him an IPL hero. Leading the Central Zone in the absence of the injured Dhruv Jurel, Patidar’s performance sends a strong message to the national selectors about his form and fitness.
Fans’ Fury: A Major Snub for Domestic Cricket
While the players are giving their all on the field, the mood among cricket fans is one of utter frustration. The BCCI, the world’s richest cricket board, has once again come under fire for its failure to provide any live telecast or streaming of a major domestic tournament. Fans took to social media, expressing their anger and disappointment with hashtags like #DuleepTrophy and #BCCIBurn.
The outrage is well-founded and highlights a larger issue with the promotion of domestic cricket in India.
- Talent Ignored: The Duleep Trophy features some of India’s best domestic talent and many players who are on the cusp of national selection. This year’s tournament has several big names, including Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, and Sarfaraz Khan, all of whom are looking to make a comeback to the national side. The lack of live coverage means that fans are unable to follow the progress of these players and witness their performances firsthand.
- A Step Backward: In an era where even smaller domestic tournaments and leagues are streamed live on various platforms, the BCCI’s decision is seen as a major step backward. Fans feel that the board is not serious about promoting red-ball cricket and is only focused on the lucrative T20 format.
- Disrespect to Players: The lack of live coverage is also seen as disrespectful to the players who work hard and sacrifice so much to play at this level. The tournament is a crucial platform for them to showcase their skills, and the absence of a broadcast makes it feel less important and devalues their efforts.
The BCCI has stated that live scores and updates will be available on its official website and app, but this is a poor substitute for a live broadcast. The uncertainty also extends to the later stages of the tournament, with no official word yet on whether the semi-finals or the final will be streamed.
The Significance of the Zonal Format
This edition of the Duleep Trophy has a special significance as it marks the return of the traditional zonal format. The tournament, which pits six teams—North, South, East, West, Central, and North East Zones—against each other, revives old rivalries and adds a new layer of competition.
The Duleep Trophy serves as a crucial platform for fringe players and those on the cusp of national selection to make a case for themselves. With a packed international schedule for the Indian team, a strong performance in this tournament can be a game-changer for a player’s career. Rajat Patidar’s blistering hundred is a perfect example of a player using this platform to silence his critics and remind the selectors of his talent.
In conclusion, while the Duleep Trophy 2025 has started with some incredible on-field action, it has also highlighted a major flaw in the BCCI’s approach to domestic cricket. The fans’ anger is a clear message to the board that they want to see more of the domestic talent, and they are willing to watch. The ball is now in the BCCI’s court to address this issue and provide a live platform for the fans to follow the tournament, a tournament that is so vital to the future of Indian cricket