3 players to watch out for in Duleep Trophy semi-final 1

The 2026-27 Duleep Trophy is the 63rd edition of the tournament and runs from August 23 to September 10, 2026, featuring six teams. Central Zone, the defending champions, earned a bye straight into the semi-finals, while East Zone qualified through the group stage. Semi-final 1 is scheduled for August 30, 2026, with Central Zone taking on East Zone.

Here are three players to watch out for in Duleep Trophy semi-final 1:

1. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the vice-captain of East Zone for the 2026-27 Duleep Trophy. The 15-year-old has played nine first-class games in total and scored 215 runs across those appearances.

In the group stage, Sooryavanshi made his maiden Duleep Trophy appearance as East Zone beat North East Zone by an innings and 210 runs. He bowled left-arm orthodox spin and returned career-best figures of 2/11 from three overs, striking twice in four deliveries as North East Zone were bowled out for 146 in their second innings.

2. Harsh Dubey

Harsh Dubey is a left-arm spinner from Vidarbha who represents Central Zone. He has taken 136 wickets in 28 first-class matches and was identified as a key bowler for Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy 2025-26 semi-final alongside Khaleel Ahmed and Deepak Chahar.

Dubey broke the record for most wickets in a Ranji Trophy season when he claimed 69 wickets in Vidarbha’s title-winning campaign in 2024-25. In the Ranji Trophy 2025-26, he followed that up with 14 wickets in three games, continuing his consistent form with the ball.

3. Rajat Patidar

Rajat Patidar captains Central Zone in the 2026-27 Duleep Trophy, with Rinku Singh named as his deputy. Patidar has accumulated 5,509 runs in first-class cricket across 77 matches.

In the Duleep Trophy 2025-26 edition, the right-handed batter was the leading run-getter with 382 runs from five innings. His form in the previous season’s quarter-final was particularly notable, where he scored 125 off 96 balls in the first innings and 66 off 72 balls in the second innings. Central Zone ended a decade-long title drought under his leadership last season.