KL Rahul will not feature in the Duleep Trophy 2026 final, South Zone captain Tilak Varma has confirmed. The experienced opener’s absence ends days of speculation after earlier reports suggested he would join the South Zone squad alongside Mohammed Siraj and Devdutt Padikkal.
However, Varma announced during the pre-match press conference ahead of the summit clash that the Indian batter will not feature in the final. The five-day final between South Zone and East Zone is scheduled to begin on 6 September 2026 at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai and runs until 10 September.
KL Rahul to not play Duleep Trophy final confirms Tilak Varma
Siraj and Padikkal have been included in the South Zone squad, with the team management expected to adjust the playing XI to accommodate the India players. Rahul’s non-availability comes despite selectors’ earlier push for available national players to gain match practice in the prestigious first-class tournament.
South Zone, led by Tilak Varma, reached the final with a seven-wicket win over North Zone, while East Zone advanced by defeating defending champions Central Zone. Rahul, Padikkal and Siraj were recently part of India's Test squad for the Sri Lanka series. While there was no international games scheduled for them in recent times, the national selectors wanted the trio to get into the domestic event.
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