Duleep Trophy: Who is the highest run-scorer of all time ?
The 2025 edition of the Duleep Trophy is currently underway, with the final taking place from 11th to 15th September 2025. The tournament features six teams, namely the West Zone, the South Zone, the Central Zone, the East Zone, the North East Zone, and the North Zone. All the games are being played at the grounds of Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
In the first Quarter-final, the North Zone are taking on the East Zone side. Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi made headlines with his exceptional bowling exploits. He picked five wickets for just 28 runs in 10.1 overs for the North Zone side. The Under-19 World Cup-winning captain, Yash Dhull, has continued his remarkable form from DPL. He played an outstanding knock of 133 off 157 balls, including 14 fours and three sixes.
Meanwhile, in the second quarter-final between the North East Zone and Central Zone, Danish Malewar grabbed eyeballs with an unbeaten double-century. He retired hurt on 203, helping Central Zone post a mammoth first-innings total of 532. Skipper Rajat Patidar also starred with a brilliant 125 off 96 balls. He continued his good run, scoring 66 off just 72 balls in the second innings. At stumps on day 3, Central Zone has taken a massive lead of 678 runs.
The inaugural edition of the Duleep Trophy tournament took place in 1961-62. As many as 61 editions of the tournament have taken place so far. In this article, let’s explore the top three run-getters in the Duleep Trophy history.
Duleep Trophy: Top three run-getters of all time
1. Wasim Jaffer
Domestic cricket’s legendary batter Wasim Jaffer is the highest run-scorer in Duleep Trophy history. He made his debut in 1997 for the West Zone and piled consistent performances throughout his first-class career. His solid technique, coupled with a strong temperament, made him an ideal fit for red-ball cricket.
Wasim Jaffer remained a mainstay for the West Zone team for many years. In his Duleep Trophy career, Wasim Jaffer scored 2545 runs in 40 matches at an outstanding average of 55.32. He scored eight centuries, 13 fifties, and remained not out on eight occasions.
His unbeaten knock of 173 remains his highest individual score in his tournament. Besides, Wasim Jaffer also holds the record for picking the most catches (41) in the Duleep Trophy.
2. Vikram Rathour
Former Indian opener Vikram Rathour is second on the list. His international career was brief, but Rathour was a domestic cricket giant. He has piled a plethora of runs in domestic cricket and is the second-highest run scorer in the history of the tournament.
Rathour was known for his solid technique, which helped blunt new ball spells. His ability to bat for long hours with patience was second to none. Representing the North Zone side, Vikram Rathour scored 2265 in 24 Tests, placing him second on the all-time list.
His outstanding average of 55, along with 17 fifties-plus scores, speaks volume about his remarkable career.
3. Anshuman Gaekwad:
A gritty opener from Baroda, Anshuman Gaekwad represented West Zone in the Duleep Trophy tournament from the 1970s to the early 1980s. Before Rahul Dravid, Gaekwad was tagged as ‘The Great Wall’ for his Test match resilience. Gaekwad was a mainstay in the team for over a decade, playing alongside the likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Sandeep Patil. In his Duleep Trophy career, Anshuman Gaekwad has scored 2004 runs in 26 matches, thereby placing him third on the list.
Which is the most successful team in Duleep Trophy history ?
West Zone is the most successful team with 19 Duleep Trophy titles to their name in 33 appearances.
