Rajat Patidar smashed a brilliant century to dominate the opening day of the Duleep Trophy, as India's 2025-26 domestic season got underway in Bengaluru on Thursday. The Central Zone skipper's innings was the highlight of the day, which also saw several star players take the field, although a few key captains were notably absent due to last-minute fitness issues.
Leading from the front, Patidar scored his 14th first-class century in style, reaching the three-figure mark in just 80 balls. He was eventually dismissed for 125, an innings that included 18 fours and two sixes. His masterclass was the cornerstone of Central Zone's commanding performance against North East Zone, an innings that also featured a century from teammate Danish Malewar.
The opening day was also marked by the absence of two designated captains. Central Zone was without their regular skipper, Dhruv Jurel, who was sidelined with a fever. In the other quarterfinal between East Zone and North Zone, East was dealt a major blow as their captain, Abhimanyu Easwaran, was ruled out with a groin niggle. In his absence, all-rounder Riyan Parag was promoted to lead the side.
Despite the absences, the tournament's opening day featured a host of big names. The most anticipated was the return of veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami for East Zone after a long injury layoff. Other star attractions included left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh for North Zone and spinner Kuldeep Yadav for Central Zone, all looking to make an impact in the red-ball format.
While the on-field action provided plenty of excitement, fans were left disappointed by the BCCI's decision not to live-stream the premier domestic tournament. Despite the presence of numerous international stars and the tournament's significance for Test team selection, the lack of live coverage on any platform became a major point of frustration for cricket lovers on social media.
