Duleep Trophy 2025: Shubman Gill to lead North Zone
What's the story
India's Test captain Shubman Gill is set to lead North Zone in the impending Duleep Trophy, starting August 28 in Bengaluru. Gill is coming off a successful England tour, where India leveled the five-match Test series 2-2 under his leadership. The 25-year-old would now hope to shine in the domestic red-ball tournament that returns to its traditional zonal format. Here are further details.
Record-breaking feat
Gill led from the front in England
Gill led India from the front in the recently-concluded five-Test series in England. Under him, India claimed their maiden Test win at Edgbaston. The team earned a hard-fought draw at Old Trafford before winning at The Oval. The 25-year-old broke a ton of records with the bat, amassing an impressive 754 runs at an average of 75.40. Gill broke Sunil Gavaskar's record for most runs by an Indian captain in a five-Test series. He struck four centuries, including a double-ton.
Information
India's Player of the Series
Gill was named India's Player of the Series. At Edgbaston, he became the first-ever player with a double-ton and a 150-plus score in a Test (269 and 161). Gill also recorded the joint-most hundreds in a Test series as captain, with Donald Bradman and Gavaskar.
Duleep Trophy
Gill to lead North Zone
According to a report by The Times of India, Gill will now lead North Zone in the Duleep Trophy. The tournament is set to be hosted by Bengaluru between August 28 and September 15. The premier First-Class tournament, now back to its inter-zonal format, will be held at the Centre of Excellence grounds. It will follow a knockout format. Six zones - South, Central, West, East, North, and North-East will take part.
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Gill's average shoots to 41.35
The 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy significantly improved Gill's Test average. Before the series, there were concerns over his batting technique in England conditions. However, his batting average shot to 41.35 from 35.05 at the start of the series, as per ESPNcricinfo.