The Duleep Trophy has always been the breeding ground for India's best cricketers. The historic red-ball tournament has given players from different regions a chance to compete, allowing selectors to distinguish potential stars from future national team mainstays. With a bowler-friendly condition, the 2026 tournament will see the emergence of the next set of pace spearheads for Indian cricket.

These three upcoming bowlers in the Duleep Trophy 2026 are set to make their mark on the national team scene

1. Zeeshan Ansari: The Resurgent Wrist-Spinner

A decade on from playing alongside Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan and Sarfaraz Khan in India's 2016 U19 World Cup-winning squad, Zeeshan Ansari is finally on the cusp of stardom. The leg-spinner from Uttar Pradesh had a winding road to the senior team, rising through the ranks in the shortest format before honing his skills in the longest.

Ansari's meteoric rise saw him called up for the India A vs Sri Lanka A series, where he failed to take a single wicket. But with the national selectors keeping a close eye on leg-spinning resources for Test cricket, a standout performance in the Duleep Trophy for Central Zone could well be enough to propel the left-arm spinner to the top.

2.Shams Mulani:

When it comes to graft and grit, few cricketers in Mumbai can rival Shams Mulani. The West Zone all-rounder has amassed a remarkable tally of 265 wickets and 2523 runs in 58 first-class matches.

Shams Mulani played a crucial role in West Zone's Duleep Trophy quarter-final clash against North Zone, notching a half-century and picking up key wickets. With the likes of Saransh Jain and other domestic stalwarts recently named in the senior squad, there is no doubt that experience will be valued in the Test arena.

Mulani has the nous and the numbers to follow in the footsteps of Mumbai's cricketing giants.

3. Yudhvir Singh:

At 6'3″ and with a fearful reputation as a hitter of sixes, Jammu & Kashmir's Yudhvir Singh is the prototypical pacey finisher for India's T20 batting line-up. The left-arm seamer was instrumental in J&K's maiden Ranji Trophy title, claiming 21 wickets in seven matches. In 19 first-class appearances, Yudhvir has reaped an astonishing 50 wickets.

Yudhvir Singh has been named in North Zone's squad for the Duleep Trophy, and looks set to make his mark after being kept out of the India A squad for the June tour of Sri Lanka due to injury.

With his prodigious pace and ability to generate bounce, Yudhvir could be a potent force in the Test arena, and a valuable asset on overseas pitches.