East Zone claims Duleep Trophy title after draw with South Zone

East Zone secured the 2026 Duleep Trophy title following a draw against South Zone at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Because the five-day final did not reach an outright conclusion, the championship was decided by a first-innings lead. East Zone established a 372-run advantage after posting 708 in their first innings, fueled by a 270-run performance from Ishan Kishan and a century from Kumar Kushagra. South Zone, led by captain Tilak Varma, was bowled out for 336 in response. East Zone extended its lead in the second innings, effectively securing the tournament win by virtue of the first-innings tiebreaker rule. This victory marks the first Duleep Trophy title for East Zone in 13 years.

• 10:33 AMYahoo Sports — Explained: How Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's East Zone won the Duleep Trophy title despite final ending in a draw