Tilak Varma fights on as South Zone sink deeper in Duleep Trophy final

South Zone’s hopes of fighting their way back into the Duleep Trophy final took a hit on day three as East Zone’s mammoth first innings total of 708 continued to cast a long shadow. Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 56 provided some resistance but South Zone ended the day on 242/6 after 80 overs, still 466 runs with just four wickets remaining.

The day was largely about the East Zone keeping up the pressure rather than producing one decisive burst. South Zone needed substantial partnerships to make a serious dent in the deficit, but wickets kept interrupting their progress. Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar led the charge at crucial moments while the fielding unit remained alert throughout the day.

South Zone vs East Zone, Duleep Trophy Final Day 3: MAIN

After South Zone got off to a relatively even start, Shami made the breakthrough after lunch by using backswing to trap Shaik Rasheed lbw for 27. Mukesh then followed it up by removing Devdutt Padikkal, who had been one of South Zone’s more reliable batsmen during the innings.

DRS VAIBHAV SOORYAVANSHI’S INSTINCTS

One of the most interesting subplots of the day was the continued involvement Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in East Zone DRS Decisions. The 15-year-old had earlier in the innings persuaded Ishan Kishan to review the dismissal of Ricky Bhui, with UltraEdge confirming that Bhui was behind the ball.

Sooryavanshi then had the second word when Padikkal hit the pads of Md Kounain Quraishi. He backed another review, but this time the ball tracking showed that the delivery was missing stumps and East Zone lost one review.

The young man received another call later in the day. With Kishan off the field, Sooryavanshi led the East Zone as Shami returned to the attack and found the edge of Smaran Ravichandran. Kumar Kushagra was convinced that there had been contact and Sooryavanshi agreed to review. UltraEdge confirmed the nick, giving Shami his second wicket and leaving Ravichandran on his way for 23.

Sooryavanshi added another successful DRS hit to the growing list. He also made a successful assessment when he served as stand-in captain during the semi-finals, showing that his influence in this tournament went beyond his batting.

HE COULDN’T HELP PADIKKAL’S RESISTANCE

Padikkal played an important role in giving the South Zone something to build on. The left-hander showed patience in a difficult period and brought up a valuable 62 from 104 deliveries.

However, his dismissal at 127/4 left the south zone in a difficult position. Mukesh found the breakthrough with Padikkal caught by substitute Denish Das to remove the batsman who spent considerable time trying to stabilize the innings.

South Zone subsequently lost more wickets but Varma refused to let the innings unravel completely. The captain absorbed the pressure and took the responsibility of batting deep into the day.

SOUTHERN ZONE MOUNTAIN QUEST DAY 4

Varma’s unbeaten 56 off 133 balls remains the south zone’s biggest reason for optimism. Shreyas Gopal gave him valuable company in the final over, adding 26 off 79 balls, but Md Kounain Quraishi eventually broke their partnership at 240/6 when Gopal was caught and bowled.

Only two runs were added after Gopal’s dismissal, leaving Varma unbeaten alongside Chama V Milind at 2. South Zone managed just 28 runs in the last 10 overs, highlighting how much they had moved towards survival during the day.

The equation for day 4 is daunting. South Zone need another 467 runs to easily draw East Zone’s first innings score with just four wickets remaining.

Varma’s goal will be a clear prize for the eastern zone. If the skipper departs early, the lower order will have a huge task against a bowling attack that has already generated movement and kept the score in check.

Meanwhile, the East Zone senses that the trophy is within reach. Their 708 gave them a huge cushion and another early burst on the fourth morning could very quickly bring the final to a deciding stage.

– The end

Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

08 Sep 2026 18:10 IST