KL Rahul will not feature in the South Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy 2026 final against East Zone at the iconic MA Chidambram Stadium in Chennai, which begins on Sunday, September 6.
The star batter was added to the squad alongside Mohammed Siraj and Devdutt Padikkal ahead of the summit clash at Chepauk, but will not take part in the title encounter. South Zone captain Tilak Varma confirmed Rahul's absence during the pre-match press conference on September 5.
"KL bhai isn't there," Tilak, who is in
red-hot form in the tournament, told the reporters during the pre-match press conference.
Padikkal and Siraj set to feature in final
Siraj and Padikkal are expected to feature in the South Zone playing XI for the final. Padikkal will bat at number three, while Ricky Bhui, who opened in the semi-final, will open alongside N. Jagadeesan in the summit clash at Chennai.
The final will be played from September 6 to 10 at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium. The trio of Rahul, Siraj and Padikkal had recently helped India complete a 1-0 Test series win in Sri Lanka. Padikkal led India in scoring with 328 runs at an average of over 109, including two centuries. Rahul also played a crucial role with the bat, adding 135 runs at an average of 45 in the series.
South Zone made their way into the final after beating North Zone by seven wickets at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 2. Tilak was the Player of the Match after scoring an unbeaten 116 in the first innings and following it up with 51 not out in the second. Shreyas Gopal also had a memorable outing, contributing with both bat and ball.
Also Read: 5 players who impressed in Duleep Trophy 2026 semi-finals
Meanwhile, East Zone defeated North East Zone by an innings and 210 runs in the quarter-finals and followed it up with a four-wicket victory against Central Zone in the semis. Shahbaz Ahmed was the Player of the Match in the quarters, while Mukesh Kumar won that award in the semi-final.
