# A Comprehensive Guide to the Duleep Trophy: India's Premier Domestic Cricket Tournament
Introduction
The Duleep Trophy is India's premier domestic first-class cricket tournament. It was established in 1961-62 and is named after KS Duleepsinhji, a former Indian cricketer and administrator. The tournament is played annually by five zonal teams: North Zone, South Zone, East Zone, West Zone, and Central Zone.
Format
The Duleep Trophy is a league-cum-knockout tournament. In the league stage, each team plays each other once. The top two teams in the league stage qualify for the final, which is played at a neutral venue.
History
The Duleep Trophy has been won by some of the biggest names in Indian cricket, including Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, and Rahul Dravid. The most successful team in the tournament's history is Mumbai, with 15 titles. Mumbai last won the title in the 2016-17 season.
2022-23 Season
The 2022-23 season of the Duleep Trophy is currently underway. The tournament began on September 8, 2022, and the final will be played on October 25, 2022. The current holders of the trophy are West Zone.
Notable Players
Some of the notable players who have played in the Duleep Trophy include:
- Sunil Gavaskar
- Sachin Tendulkar
- Rahul Dravid
- Sourav Ganguly
- Virender Sehwag
- MS Dhoni
- Virat Kohli
- Rishabh Pant
- Shubman Gill
- Mohammed Siraj
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