South Zone faced a massive challenge on Day 3 of the Duleep Trophy 2026 final as East Zone's bowlers kept the pressure on at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
East Zone had already put themselves in a commanding position by scoring 708 runs in their first innings, powered by captain Ishan Kishan's spectacular 270. Kumar Kushagra also contributed a century as East Zone piled up a huge total.
South Zone began their reply positively through Devdutt Padikkal and Narayan Jagadeesan after losing Ricky Bhui early. Padikkal went on to score a half-century and provided some stability to the innings.
However, wickets began to fall as East Zone's bowlers tightened their grip. Jagadeesan was dismissed for 32, while Padikkal also departed after scoring 60. Shaik Rasheed was subsequently removed, bringing South Zone captain Tilak Varma into a difficult situation.
Tilak attempted to steady the innings as wickets continued to fall around him. R Smaran offered some support, but Mohammed Shami struck again to leave South Zone five wickets down.
Shami's spell proved particularly important for East Zone. The veteran pacer dismissed Shaik Rasheed earlier in the innings and later removed Smaran, while East Zone's fielding unit also benefited from smart DRS decisions, including one involving vice-captain Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
At the latest available update, South Zone had reached 240/6, with Tilak Varma unbeaten on 56. The team still trailed East Zone by 468 runs, leaving them with a mountain to climb if they are to force a result in the final.
With the pitch beginning to show signs of wear and the ball keeping slightly low, East Zone's spinners could become increasingly important as the match progresses. South Zone's immediate objective will be to avoid further collapses and build a substantial first-innings total.
For South Zone, the responsibility now rests heavily on Tilak Varma and the remaining lower-order batters. East Zone, meanwhile, will look to maintain the pressure and secure a decisive first-innings advantage.
