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The stage is set for a mouth-watering Duleep Trophy 2026 final as East Zone square off against South Zone at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai from September 6. Both teams have produced impressive performances to reach the summit clash, with East Zone defeating defending champions Central Zone by four wickets and South Zone beating North Zone by seven wickets in their respective semi-finals.
The final could become even more intriguing with several India players expected to feature. KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj and Devdutt Padikkal have been asked to turn out for South Zone, while the participation of Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is still awaiting clearance from the Indian team management.
Here are three battles that could have a major say in Duleep Trophy 2026 Final:
Few contests could be more fascinating than KL Rahul taking on Mohammed Shami.
Rahul is expected to strengthen South Zone’s top order after being added to the squad ahead of the final. The Karnataka batter is one of India’s most accomplished red-ball players and has the technique and patience required to counter a high-quality new-ball attack.
Standing across him will be Shami, who was instrumental in East Zone’s semi-final victory. The veteran pacer picked up five wickets against Central Zone, including figures of 3/56 in the second innings, and consistently tested the batters with movement and seam.
The first spell could therefore be crucial. Shami will look to attack Rahul’s outside edge and force him to play, while Rahul’s priority will be to leave well and avoid giving the pacer opportunities to settle into a rhythm.
If Rahul survives the opening spell, South Zone could gain a significant advantage. But if Shami removes him early, East Zone will immediately have the upper hand.
This is a battle that could generate enormous interest if Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is cleared to play the final.
The 15-year-old has been one of the stories of the tournament. He scored a sensational 92 in East Zone’s first innings against Central Zone and followed it with 40 in the chase, finishing the match with 132 runs.
His aggressive approach has made him a dangerous proposition even in the longer format.
Siraj, meanwhile, brings international experience, pace and relentless intensity. The India quick has been added to South Zone’s squad and could lead their attack against East Zone’s young batting unit.
The tactical question will be whether Siraj attacks Sooryavanshi with a full length early on or uses his pace and short-ball variations to make the youngster uncomfortable.
Sooryavanshi has already shown that he can adapt. During East Zone’s chase against Central Zone, he initially played cautiously before accelerating, scoring 40 off 43 balls.
For Siraj, the objective will be to deny him that opportunity to settle.
Another potentially decisive contest could involve South Zone captain Tilak Varma and East Zone’s in-form seamer Mukesh Kumar.
Tilak was the standout performer in South Zone’s semi-final against North Zone. He scored an unbeaten 116 in the first innings and followed it with an unbeaten 51 in the chase, playing a crucial role in securing South Zone’s place in the final.
His ability to bat for long periods while keeping the scoreboard moving makes him one of South Zone’s biggest weapons.
Mukesh, however, is entering the final with tremendous confidence. He was named Player of the Match against Central Zone after claiming seven wickets, including 4/44 in the second innings.
The Bengal pacer relies heavily on movement, accuracy and subtle changes in his line and length. Against Tilak, he will need to avoid feeding the left-hander’s scoring areas and make him play as often as possible.
For Tilak, the challenge will be to negotiate Mukesh’s probing spells before taking advantage of scoring opportunities once the ball becomes older.
This could become particularly important if South Zone lose an early wicket and Tilak walks in during the first session.
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