Tilak Varma to lead South Zone in Duleep Trophy 2026

India middle-order batter Tilak Varma has been named captain of South Zone's 15-member squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy. Tilak will have Andhra's top-order batter Ricky Bhui for assistance in leadership decisions, as the latter has been named vice-captain.

Tilak was recently appointed vice-captain of India's T20I team. He also led India A to a memorable tri-series win over Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A before the start of India's two-match T20I tour of Ireland.

While Tilak has never been seen as a potential candidate for India's Test side, his first-class numbers make a strong case for him. The southpaw has aggregated 1562 runs in 35 innings of 23 matches, averaging 50.38. Tilak has struck seven hundreds and five fifties in the format.

Meanwhile, the vice-captain Bhui is far more experienced compared to Tilak. Bhui has played 88 first-class matches and amassed 5713 runs at an average of 44.28, including 20 hundreds and 23 fifties.

South Zone also have Ravichandran Smaran in their ranks, who has been scoring runs for fun in the domestic circuit lately. Playing for Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26, Smaran finished as the leading run-getter with 950 runs in 14 innings of nine fixtures. 

He averaged a whopping 86.36 and racked up four hundreds and three fifties, blasting 81 fours and 11 sixes in the process. The southpaw averages 73.04 in first-class cricket and has scored 1534 runs in 17 games, including six centuries and four fifties.

The selectors have also drafted India international Karun Nair, who adds tonnes of experience to the squad. Nair has piled up 9374 runs in 129 first-class matches at an average of a shade under 50 (49.33). The right-hander has 26 centuries and 40 fifties in the red-ball arena.

The pace-bowling department will be headed by Vidwath Kaverappa and MD Nideesh. Kaverappa, 27, has 103 wickets in 28 first-class matches, averaging 21.20, including six five-fors.

Shreyas Gopal is the most experienced leg-spinner in South Zone's squad. The 32-year-old has 302 wickets in 98 first-class fixtures, averaging 28.17, including 10 five-wicket hauls.

South Zone full squad for Duleep Trophy 2026-27

Tilak Varma (Captain), Ricky Bhui (Vice-captain), Abhinav Tejrana, SK Rasheed, K Himateja, R Smaran, N Jagadeesan, Karun Nair, T Thyagarajan, Shreyas Gopal, K Sai Teja, T Vijay, V Kaverappa, Aman Khan, M D Nideesh.