Young Central Zone batter Danish Malewar and skipper Rajat Patidar put the team in a commanding position against the North East Zone in the quarterfinals of the Duleep Trophy 2025, with breezy centuries at the BCCI CEG Ground B in Bengaluru.
Patidar, who coached Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their maiden IPL title earlier this year, scored a century off just 80 balls, before being dismissed eventually for 125 off just 96 balls with 21 fours and three sixes.
Central Zone reached 432/2 in 77 overs, before bad light forced early stumps on day one. Malewar continued his exploits despite Patidar’s exit, remaining unbeaten on 198 at the end of the day’s play. Yash Rathod was keeping him company at the crease on 32 not out.
It is only the 10 first-class match for Malewar, but he has already scored 783 runs in nine games so far, at an average of 52.20. At the cusp of a double hundred, the 21-year-old Vidarbha top-order batter has been in a rich vein of form, scoring a century and three half centuries in his past five innings.
Born in Nagpur on October 8, 2003, Malewar made his first-class debut against Andhra in Nagpur. It was a dream come true for his father Vishnu Malewar, who is a hardcore cricket fan, according to tv9.
Malewar is yet to play a List A game or other matches.
Central Zone are without their regular skipper Dhruv Jurel, who was advised to skip the match following a groin niggle. Patidar, who was the vice-captain of the team, made good use of the opportunity, leading the side from the front with a whirlwhind ton. The 32-year-old was part of the Test team for the home series in 2024 against England, but was dropped subsequently. A fruitful domestic season in red-ball cricket will help Patidar stake claim for a berth in the Indian Test team.
Duleep Trophy returns to its traditional format
The Duleep Trophy marks the start of India's domestic cricket season as the red-ball competition returned to its traditional zonal format. Six zonal teams are taking part in the tournament that was introduced in the 1960s. The stakeholders were not happy when the event was played among haphazardly arranged India A, B, C and D teams last season before expectedly reverting to the old format.
The tournament, which did not create much buzz earlier, has regained relevance with the BCCI making it mandatory for its star players to take part in domestic events if not on national duty or injured.