Tilak Varma named South Zone captain for Duleep Trophy

India's T20I vice-captain Tilak Varma has been appointed captain of the South Zone squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy domestic cricket tournament. The 15-member squad, announced on August 2, will be led by Varma with Andhra batter Ricky Bhui serving as vice-captain. The tournament is scheduled to run from August 23 to September 10 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

The selection was finalized by a committee convened by the Andhra Cricket Association and chaired by former cricketer RV Chandramouli Prasad, with representatives from all seven southern state associations. Varma's appointment follows his recent role with the national team that secured a 3-0 T20I series victory over Zimbabwe. MN Vikram Varma, a Level 2-certified coach, has been named head coach of the squad.

South Zone's squad blends established players with emerging talent. It includes veteran batter Karun Nair, who last played a Test for India in 2025, and several performers from the recent domestic season. These include Karnataka's R Smaran, the leading run-scorer in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy with 950 runs, and Hyderabad batter K Himateja. The team also features players with recent India A experience,...