| Dates | 20 November 1996 – 8 December 1996 |
|---|---|
| Administrator(s) | BCCI |
| Cricket format | First-class cricket |
| Tournament format(s) | Knockout |
| Champions | Central Zone (2nd title) |
| Participants | 5 |
| Matches played | 4 |
| Most runs | Rahul Sapru (CZ) (347) |
| Most wickets | Obaid Kamal (CZ) (14) |
The 1996–97 Duleep Trophy was the 36th season of the Duleep Trophy, a first-class cricket tournament contested by five zonal teams of India: Central Zone, East Zone, North Zone, South Zone and West Zone.
Central Zone won the title, defeating South Zone in the final.