Duleep Trophy 2026: 3 players who are missing the final

The Duleep Trophy 2026 final got underway on Sunday, September 6 at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, with South Zone taking on East Zone. Tilak Varma leads South Zone while Ishan Kishan captains East Zone in what promises to be a competitive contest.

Despite the high stakes, a few prominent players will not be available for the final. Their absences have drawn attention ahead of what is one of the most important domestic red-ball fixtures of the season.

Duleep Trophy 2026: 3 players who are missing the final

3. Vidwath Kaverappa

Vidwath Kaverappa delivered a strong performance for South Zone in the semi-final, picking up four wickets in the first innings and adding one more in the second. The right-arm pacer was one of the standout bowlers in that game.

However, Kaverappa will not feature in the final. No specific reason was offered by Tilak Varma for his absence at the toss, but the bowling attack got bolstered by the addition of Mohammed Siraj, who is among the finest bowlers in the country.

2. Shahbaz Ahmed

Shahbaz Ahmed was in outstanding touch during the quarter-final, where he represented East Zone against North East Zone. The Bengal all-rounder struck 167 in the first innings off 247 balls and claimed a combined four wickets across both innings, earning the Player of the Match award for his efforts.

Despite that match-winning display, Ahmed was absent from the games that followed. No official explanation has been provided for his unavailability, though injury is widely speculated as the reason. The final XI for East Zone has not confirmed his inclusion, making his absence a significant blow for the side.

1. KL Rahul

KL Rahul was added to the South Zone squad alongside Mohammed Siraj and Devdutt Padikkal ahead of the final. However, he did not report to the squad, and South Zone captain Tilak Varma confirmed at the pre-match press conference on September 5 that Rahul would not be part of the playing XI, saying: “KL bhai isn’t there.” No official reason was provided for his non-participation.

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Rahul had been in reasonable form before the final, having scored 135 runs across three innings at an average of 45 during India’s tour of Sri Lanka. With Rahul unavailable, Devdutt Padikkal, who struck two centuries in two Tests in Sri Lanka, is expected to bat at number three, with Ricky Bhui and N. Jagadeesan set to open the innings for South Zone.