South Zone will face East Zone in the Duleep Trophy final beginning September 6.
South Zone captain Tilak Varma expressed immense excitement ahead of leading his side against East Zone in the Duleep Trophy final at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The southpaw heaped praise on the crowd at Chepauk, highlighting his “good memories” at the venue.
“We have got great memories here, and the ground has been very historic. When you come to Chennai, the first thing that always comes to mind is Mahi bhai. And at the same time, I have got very good memories here,” Tilak said in a video posted by BCCI Domestic.
“The Chennai crowd, they really support me well. Whether I was playing for Mumbai Indians or for India, the crowd has shown me great love. So that is a good sign for me,” he added.
Tilak fondly recalled his previous success at the venue, highlighting a T20I against England where he won the game by playing a crucial knock of 72 runs. He also cited key performances like his T20 World Cup 2026 innings (44 off 16 balls) against Zimbabwe.
“And I have got good memories here in the World Cup against Zimbabwe. I think I would say that is my comeback match. From there, I was feeling slightly low in the first two games.
“But from here, when I charged up against Zimbabwe, I was on a different level in my batting and in my confidence as well. In one India match, my jersey number is 72, and I have scored 72 here, and I have won the game. It was against England,” he remarked.
Having played the previous fixtures behind closed doors at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, Tilak Varma is looking forward to playing the Duleep Trophy final in front of spectators. The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) has announced free entry to select stands to ensure a packed stadium.
“So I have got a few memories here. It always feels special to me when I am in Chepauk. It is really special playing in the Duleep Trophy final.
“We have missed playing in front of the crowd in the last game. But again, now playing the final in Chepauk, I am expecting that there will be a lot of crowd. So it will be really special because I always wait for that crowd when I come to Chennai.
“I love that crowd. They give that love to me as well. I am really waiting for that,” he concluded.
East Zone are aiming to secure their first Duleep Trophy title since 2012-13, when they defeated Central Zone in the final to lift their second title. South Zone clinched their 12th title in the 2023 season by defeating North Zone in a thrilling final at Bengaluru, reinforcing their status as one of the tournament's most successful regions.
(With IANS Inputs)