Devdutt Padikkal and Mohammed Siraj Join South Zone for Duleep Trophy Final

Padikkal and Siraj Added to South Zone Squad

Devdutt Padikkal and Mohammed Siraj have been included in the South Zone team for the Duleep Trophy 2026 final against East Zone, scheduled for Sunday in Chennai, as reported by Cricinfo.

The captain of South Zone, Tilak Varma, along with East Zone players Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ishan Kishan, are also anticipated to participate in the final unless the Indian team management requests their rest at the last moment. Varma, Sooryavanshi, and Kishan are part of India's squad for a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, which is set to commence just three days after the Duleep Trophy final concludes on September 10.

Although it is not yet clear which two players will be replaced, Padikkal and Siraj's inclusion is part of the management's strategy to keep the Test players in form and ready for upcoming matches.

Tilak Varma Eager to Compete in Final

Following his impressive performance of an unbeaten 116 and 51 runs that led South Zone to victory over North Zone in the semi-final, Tilak Varma expressed his eagerness to play in the Duleep Trophy final. He noted that the time before the Afghanistan series would provide him ample opportunity to rest and prepare.

"I would love to play the final. This match has just finished, but I think the Afghanistan game is on the 13th. I am ready to play the final. After that, we have two days of break in between, and if I report on the 11th, I can practice for a day and then go and play the match," Varma stated after the match, as quoted by Cricinfo.

Padikkal's Recent Performance

Padikkal recently showcased his talent during India's Test tour of Sri Lanka, where he was named Player of the Series after scoring 328 runs in three innings, including two centuries while batting at No. 3.