Tilak Varma named South Zone captain for Duleep Trophy 2026

Tilak Varma has been named captain of the South Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy 2026. The announcement was made on Sunday, August 2, 2026, with Andhra batter Ricky Bhui appointed as vice-captain of the side. MN Vikram Varma, also from Andhra, has been appointed head coach of the South Zone unit for the tournament.

The Duleep Trophy is scheduled to run from August 23 to September 10, 2026, at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. South Zone, who reached the final of the tournament last season, have earned direct entry into the semifinals as a result of that runners-up finish. Their semifinal is scheduled for August 30, 2026.

The 15-member squad features a blend of established domestic performers and younger talent drawn from across the southern states, with Tilak Varma leading the group into what is expected to be a competitive edition of the tournament.

Tilak currently holds the position of India's T20I vice-captain, making his appointment as South Zone captain a natural extension of the leadership responsibilities he has taken on at the national level. The Hyderabad batter has been a consistent presence in India's white-ball plans over the past year.

He featured in India's 3-0 T20I series win over Zimbabwe ahead of this domestic assignment, demonstrating his form and fitness going into the Duleep Trophy. His selection as South Zone captain underlines the confidence the selectors have placed in him as a leader across formats and levels of the game.

No official reason was disclosed for the specific appointment beyond the squad announcement made on August 2, 2026. Bhui's role as vice-captain places another experienced domestic performer in a position of responsibility alongside Tilak Varma for the duration of the tournament.

N Tilak Varma (captain), Ricky Bhui (vice-captain), Abhinav Tejrana, Shaik Rasheed, K M Himateja, R Smaran, N Jagadeesan (wicketkeeper), Karun Nair, Tanay Thyagarajan, Shreyas Gopal, K Sai Teja, T Vijay, Vidvath Kaverappa, H Aman Khan and M D Nideesh.