Team India stars have been asked to play the Duleep Trophy final for South Zone against East Zone in Chennai.
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KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal and Mohammed Siraj to play Duleep Trophy final(Photo: X)
India stars KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal and Mohammed Siraj are set to return to domestic cricket as they have been asked to play for South Zone in the Duleep Trophy finalSouth Zone will face East Zone in the title clash, which begins on September 6 in Chennai.
The move comes as the three players currently do not have any competitive cricket scheduled before India’s next ODI assignment against the West Indies later this month.
India trio set for Duleep Trophy 2026 final
Rahul, Padikkal and Siraj were recently part of India’s Test squad for the Sri Lanka seriesWith no immediate international games for them, the national selectors want the trio to get more red-ball cricket.
A BCCI source told PTI: “Rahul, Padikkal and Siraj do not have any competitive cricket right nowThe national selectors want any India player who is available should play the Duleep Trophy finalThe trio played last on August 27The next they will play is September 27 against West Indies in the ODIs.”
The three players will now join a strong South Zone squad for the final and could play an important role in the team’s title challenge.
Padikkal in excellent form
Devdutt Padikkal will be one of the players to watch in the final after an impressive run in India’s recent Test series against Sri Lanka.
The left-handed batter made a strong impact during the tour and scored heavily in the two-Test seriesHis form has made him an important player in India’s red-ball plans.
Padikkal is not currently part of India’s ODI squad, which gives him another chance to spend time in domestic cricket before his next possible assignment.
“Now Padikkal is not a part of ODIs so he might play India A seriesBut Duleep final if there is a chance, they should play,” BCCI source added.
Rahul and Siraj to get match practice
For KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj, the Duleep Trophy final will provide valuable match practice after the Sri Lanka series.
Rahul remains an important option for India across formats, while Siraj continues to be one of the team’s leading fast bowlersPlaying a first-class game will allow both players to stay in rhythm before their next international assignment.
The decision also reflects the selectors’ focus on keeping India’s Test players involved in competitive cricket whenever they are available.
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Gambhir to decide on other India players
While Rahul, Padikkal and Siraj have been asked to play, the participation of South Zone captain Tilak Varma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ishan Kishan is still not certain.
All three are part of India’s T20I setup, and head coach Gautam Gambhir will take the final call on whether they can feature in the Duleep Trophy final.
The Indian team is scheduled to assemble in Delhi on September 9 or 10, which could affect their availability for the domestic final.
South Zone face East Zone in final
South Zone booked their place in the final after defeating North Zone in the semi-final, while East Zone reached the title clash after beating Central Zone.
With Rahul, Padikkal and Siraj expected to strengthen South Zone, the final promises to be a closely watched domestic contest.
The match will also give the three India stars an opportunity to get valuable game time before the next phase of international cricket.
