East Zone wins Duleep Trophy 2026 title after 13-year wait

East Zone clinched the Duleep Trophy 2026 title at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, ending a 13-year championship drought. Although the final against South Zone ended in a draw, East Zone was declared the winner based on a massive 372-run first-innings lead.

Captain Ishan Kishan delivered a standout performance, scoring 270 runs in the first innings and 80 in the second, totaling 350 runs for the match. He was named Player of the Match. Other key contributors included Md Kounain Quraishi, who scored an unbeaten 116 in his second first-class game, and 15-year-old vice-captain Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who gained attention for his tactical involvement in Decision Review System (DRS) calls.

South Zone captain Tilak Varma, who was named Player of the Series, admitted his team was outplayed after East Zone posted a mammoth 708 in their first innings. South Zone's Mohammed Siraj struggled during the match, later attributing his lack of rhythm to a recent two-month break from competitive cricket.