Mohammed Siraj is one of India's premier fast bowlers now, and he was leading the pace attack on the recent Test tour of Sri Lanka. The pacer, however, was out of sync for the most part and said it was because of the two-month break he got before the series. Siraj's trouble with rhythm continued in the first innings of the Duleep Trophy final, in which he turned up for South Zone against East Zone, conceding 140 runs in 25 overs at 5.60 per over as East Zone piled up a match-winning 708 runs.<h2>Siraj says long break messed up rhythm</h2>At a time when frequent injuries to Indian players have brought workload management into the spotlight, Siraj's comments about 'getting too much break' are a bit interesting."I'm purely a rhythm bowler. If I'm not in sync, I simply can't explode through the crease. That was the struggle in Sri Lanka—my run-up felt disjointed. Some strides were too short, others were too long, and that broke my flow and cost me pace," said the pacer after the final day of the Duleep Trophy final in sweltering Chennai.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/duleep-trophy-final-kishan-leads-east-zone-to-first-title-in-13-years-with-350-runs-vs-south-zone-1789037623806">Duleep Trophy Final: Kishan leads East Zone to first title in 13 years</a>"Every bowler's body is different, but mine doesn't handle long breaks well. A short breather is fine, but in my 10-year career, I had never taken two full months off. I was working out in the gym and bowling occasionally, but no amount of practice can replicate match intensity. It was a new experience, but a valuable learning curve for me going forward," he added.<h2>What's next for India and Siraj?</h2>India next play a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan from September 13 in New Delhi, with the next two matches scheduled for Sep 15 and 17. The Men in Blue will then go to Japan for the 2026 Asian Games while hosting West Indies for an ODI series at home during the same period. Siraj isn't part of India's squad for either the Afghanistan series or the Asian Games.

Mohammed Siraj admitted a 2-month break disrupted his rhythm, leading to struggles in Sri Lanka and 0/140 in the Duleep Trophy final. He is rested for India's upcoming T20I series vs Afghanistan.

Mohammed Siraj is one of India's premier fast bowlers now, and he was leading the pace attack on the recent Test tour of Sri Lanka. The pacer, however, was out of sync for the most part and said it was because of the two-month break he got before the series. Siraj's trouble with rhythm continued in the first innings of the Duleep Trophy final, in which he turned up for South Zone against East Zone, conceding 140 runs in 25 overs at 5.60 per over as East Zone piled up a match-winning 708 runs. Siraj says long break messed up rhythm At a time when frequent injuries to Indian players have brought workload management into the spotlight, Siraj's comments about 'getting too much break' are a bit interesting. "I'm purely a rhythm bowler. If I'm not in sync, I simply can't explode through the crease. That was the struggle in Sri Lanka—my run-up felt disjointed. Some strides were too short, others were too long, and that broke my flow and cost me pace," said the pacer after the final day of the Duleep Trophy final in sweltering Chennai. Also Read - Duleep Trophy Final: Kishan leads East Zone to first title in 13 years "Every bowler's body is different, but mine doesn't handle long breaks well. A short breather is fine, but in my 10-year career, I had never taken two full months off. I was working out in the gym and bowling occasionally, but no amount of practice can replicate match intensity. It was a new experience, but a valuable learning curve for me going forward," he added. What's next for India and Siraj? India next play a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan from September 13 in New Delhi, with the next two matches scheduled for Sep 15 and 17. The Men in Blue will then go to Japan for the 2026 Asian Games while hosting West Indies for an ODI series at home during the same period. Siraj isn't part of India's squad for either the Afghanistan series or the Asian Games.

Mohammed Siraj admitted a 2-month break disrupted his rhythm, leading to struggles in Sri Lanka and 0/140 in the Duleep Trophy final. He is rested for India's upcoming T20I series vs Afghanistan.

India pacer Siraj says his body 'doesn't handle long breaks well'

East Zone captain Ishan Kishan clobbered his highest first-class score of 270 against South Zone in the ongoing Duleep Trophy final in Chennai. Riding on his brilliant double hundred and a gritty century from Kumar Kushagra, East Zone posted their first-innings total in excess of 700 at stumps on day 2, marking only the third time in the tournament’s final history that a team has crossed the 700-run milestone. &nbsp;Resuming day two on 385 for four, Kishan (111*) and Kushagra (63*) began piling up runs and misery on South Zone bowlers. Mohammed Siraj, who went wicketless on day 1, tried hard – both with his pace and line and verbal volleys to unsettle the pair, but failed. MD Nidheesh too bowled his heart out with the new ball in his quest to break this partnership but tasted no success, as the two batters inched closer to their respective milestones. The two spinners, Tripurana Vijay and Shreyas Gopal, also kept persisting with defensive lines on either side of the drinks break but failed to provide any respite.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/where-to-watch-india-vs-japan-historic-t20i-live-streaming-channel-details-1788703019306">Where to watch India vs Japan historic T20I: Channel and live streaming details</a> &nbsp;The right-handed batter Kushagra completed his sixth first-class hundred soon after but lost his wicket before lunch on day two.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Watch 🎥 Kumar Kushagra lights up Chennai with a brilliant 101(132) 💪 Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/BhTkGWeeoD">https://t.co/BhTkGWeeoD</a><a href="https://x.com/hashtag/DuleepTrophy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DuleepTrophy</a> | <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/EZvSZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EZvSZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/zfqrn3Uh4C">pic.twitter.com/zfqrn3Uh4C</a>&mdash; BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) <a href="https://x.com/BCCIdomestic/status/2096903068399124779?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Kishan, on the other hand, took advantage of South Zone’s tired bowling attack and kept manoeuvring gaps for boundaries for fun, closing in on his double hundred.&nbsp;Nothing worked for Tilak Varma’s South Zone, which had also tried part-timers in Devdutt Padikkal, as Kishan completed his brilliant 200 in 270 balls.<h3>WATCH the moment Kishan scored 200 vs South Zone -</h3>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">That moment when Ishan Kishan reached 2️⃣5️⃣0️⃣ 👏👏 Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/KQf5Km69nk">https://t.co/KQf5Km69nk</a><a href="https://x.com/hashtag/DuleepTrophy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DuleepTrophy</a> | <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/SZvEZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SZvEZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/6YJYiwNtjV">pic.twitter.com/6YJYiwNtjV</a>&mdash; BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) <a href="https://x.com/BCCIdomestic/status/2096884661041639535?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Just when he crossed his 200-mark, Kishan upped the ante and began scoring quickly, with South Zone anticipating a declaration. Much to their disappointment, Kishan did not declare and kept cruising even after crossing 250. Although fatigue caught up with him as he walked out retired hurt, Kishan returned following Mohammed Shami’s dismissal on 28 to rack up more runs.&nbsp; &nbsp;He, however, failed to smash a triple hundred in this title match, after finding a fielder near long-on to depart on 270.&nbsp; &nbsp;South Zone could finally wrap up East Zone's innings on 708, with a mountain to climb should they seek a shocking turnaround from here in the Duleep Trophy final.

East Zone captain Ishan Kishan smashed a record-breaking 270 to propel his side to a colossal 708 against South Zone on Day 2 of the Duleep Trophy final in Chennai. Read the day report. 

East Zone captain Ishan Kishan clobbered his highest first-class score of 270 against South Zone in the ongoing Duleep Trophy final in Chennai. Riding on his brilliant double hundred and a gritty century from Kumar Kushagra, East Zone posted their first-innings total in excess of 700 at stumps on day 2, marking only the third time in the tournament’s final history that a team has crossed the 700-run milestone. Resuming day two on 385 for four, Kishan (111*) and Kushagra (63*) began piling up runs and misery on South Zone bowlers. Mohammed Siraj, who went wicketless on day 1, tried hard – both with his pace and line and verbal volleys to unsettle the pair, but failed. MD Nidheesh too bowled his heart out with the new ball in his quest to break this partnership but tasted no success, as the two batters inched closer to their respective milestones. The two spinners, Tripurana Vijay and Shreyas Gopal, also kept persisting with defensive lines on either side of the drinks break but failed to provide any respite. Also read| Where to watch India vs Japan historic T20I: Channel and live streaming details The right-handed batter Kushagra completed his sixth first-class hundred soon after but lost his wicket before lunch on day two.

East Zone captain Ishan Kishan smashed a record-breaking 270 to propel his side to a colossal 708 against South Zone on Day 2 of the Duleep Trophy final in Chennai. Read the day report.&nbsp;

Ishan Kishan smashes 270 as East Zone rack up 708 in Duleep Trophy Final

T20I batting mainstay Tilak Varma impressed with his first-class game for South Zone in the Duleep Trophy semifinal against North Zone. The left-hander, who is reportedly being drafted into the ODI squad for the 2027 World Cup, smashed an unbeaten 116 in the first innings, before his 51 not out helped South complete the run chase with seven wickets remaining. South Zone will now face East Zone in the tournament final starting September 6 at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium.&nbsp;WATCH WINNING MOMENT -

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">South Zone cruise into the final 🙌 They chase down 181 and beat North Zone by 7 wickets 👌 Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/AGjIStrDAT">https://t.co/AGjIStrDAT</a><a href="https://x.com/hashtag/DuleepTrophy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DuleepTrophy</a> | <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/SZvNZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SZvNZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/UXTDC4wdF4">pic.twitter.com/UXTDC4wdF4</a>&mdash; BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) <a href="https://x.com/BCCIdomestic/status/2095075292226392324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Batting at number four, his preferred position, Tilak added an unbeaten 80-run stand for the fourth wicket with Smaran Ravichandran to see his team home on Wednesday (Sep 2). Chasing 181 for a spot in the Duleep Trophy final, South Zone started well before losing two batters within six balls.Keeper-batter Narayan Jagadeesan was the next to depart on 43 before Tilak and Ravichandran completed the job.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-2026-cricket-teams-allowed-to-book-own-stays-after-complaints-over-hotel-facilities-1788323869805">Asian Games 2026: Cricket teams allowed to book own stays after complaints over hotel facilities</a> &nbsp;North Zone opted to bat first after winning the toss but failed to capitalise on their call as they were all out on 195 in the first innings. In reply, South Zone scored 312, with Tilak top-scoring for his team. Shreyas Gopal’s 87 at the death also helped the cause as South took a 117-run lead. &nbsp;North Zone’s second innings saw handy contributions from the top order, including opener Sanat Sangwan (76) and Ayush Doseja (52) and 30s from all-rounders Nishant Sindhu (35*) and Anshul Kamboj (36). As a result, they were bowled out for 297, setting South Zone a target of 181. &nbsp;Among the capped players, North Zone seamers Arshdeep Singh and Gurnoor Brar returned with two and five wickets, respectively. Anshul Kamboj also picked up two wickets in the first innings before impressing with his batting cameo in the second.&nbsp; &nbsp;Tilak, meanwhile, is reported to be picked as a backup for Shreyas Iyer for the showpiece event, with the BCCI selectors keen on having a solid left-hander in the middle order.&nbsp;The left-hander is also picked in India’s T20I squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.

Tilak Varma's unbeaten 116 and 51* powered South Zone past North Zone into the Duleep Trophy 2026 final. Read the full semifinal match report. 

T20I batting mainstay Tilak Varma impressed with his first-class game for South Zone in the Duleep Trophy semifinal against North Zone. The left-hander, who is reportedly being drafted into the ODI squad for the 2027 World Cup, smashed an unbeaten 116 in the first innings, before his 51 not out helped South complete the run chase with seven wickets remaining. South Zone will now face East Zone in the tournament final starting September 6 at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium. WATCH WINNING MOMENT -

Tilak Varma's unbeaten 116 and 51* powered South Zone past North Zone into the Duleep Trophy 2026 final. Read the full semifinal match report.&nbsp;

Tilak Varma's masterclass drives South Zone into Duleep Trophy final

India internationals, including seamers Mukesh Kumar and Mohammed Shami, alongside batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, powered East Zone past Central Zone by four wickets to reach the Duleep Trophy final this year. While Mukesh returned with seven wickets across two innings and Shami five, Sooryavanshi’s exploits at the top in the first innings were enough to keep their noses in front as East Zone reached the summit clash. Captain Ishan Kishan remained unbeaten during the run chase, scoring 39, including four fours and a six. &nbsp;East Zone’s Kishan won the toss and elected to bowl first at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence Ground 1 in Bengaluru. Opener and keeper batter Aryan Juyal weathered the early storm despite wickets falling regularly at the other end with his gritty 46 off 113 balls. The lower middle-order provided the base as Rinku Singh top-scored with 60 off 88 balls.&nbsp; &nbsp;Yash Thakur’s 30 at the death helped Central Zone put on 266 in the first innings. For the East Zone, seamers Mukesh and Shami picked up four and two wickets, respectively.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-2026-cricket-lack-of-5-star-hotel-facilities-japan-1788177468377">Lack of 5-star room service plagues Asian Games cricket, official says</a> &nbsp;In reply, East Zone got off to a flyer. Sooryavanshi became the youngest to score a fifty in the competition’s history, and domestic giant Abhimanyu Easwaran scored 69. Vaibhav missed out on a well-deserved hundred by just eight runs (92 in 81 balls), with Harsh Dubey accounting for Kumar Kushagra on the very next ball. Easwaran departed soon after and so did the rest of the batters, as the batting collapse saw East Zone equalling Central Zone’s tally of 266 runs.<h2>East Zone Storm into Duleep Trophy Final</h2>Shami and Mukesh tore through Central Zone’s second innings by dismissing them for a mere 158. Shami, who last played for India during the triumphant 2025 Champions Trophy campaign, picked up three wickets. Mukesh was the star with the ball in hand, returning with four to complete a seven-wicket haul in the match. &nbsp;Sooryavanshi and Easwaran added 61 for the first wicket during the chase before Yash Thakur dismissed the dangerous Sooryavanshi on 40, courtesy of a world-class catch by Central Zone captain Rajat Patidar in the deep.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">What. A. Catch 😮 Central Zone captain Rajat Patidar pulls off an absolute blinder 🔥 Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/kyExeix2VY">https://t.co/kyExeix2VY</a><a href="https://x.com/hashtag/DuleepTrophy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DuleepTrophy</a> | <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/CZvEZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CZvEZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/NfAD3Kk9RH">pic.twitter.com/NfAD3Kk9RH</a>&mdash; BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) <a href="https://x.com/BCCIdomestic/status/2094714202913145340?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Wickets kept falling, but Kishan stood his ground, and alongside Shami, who hit the winning runs, helped his team enter the Duleep Trophy final.

Mukesh Kumar’s seven-wicket match haul and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s explosive 92 powered East Zone past Central Zone by four wickets to secure their spot in the Duleep Trophy final.

India internationals, including seamers Mukesh Kumar and Mohammed Shami, alongside batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, powered East Zone past Central Zone by four wickets to reach the Duleep Trophy final this year. While Mukesh returned with seven wickets across two innings and Shami five, Sooryavanshi’s exploits at the top in the first innings were enough to keep their noses in front as East Zone reached the summit clash. Captain Ishan Kishan remained unbeaten during the run chase, scoring 39, including four fours and a six. East Zone’s Kishan won the toss and elected to bowl first at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence Ground 1 in Bengaluru. Opener and keeper batter Aryan Juyal weathered the early storm despite wickets falling regularly at the other end with his gritty 46 off 113 balls. The lower middle-order provided the base as Rinku Singh top-scored with 60 off 88 balls. Yash Thakur’s 30 at the death helped Central Zone put on 266 in the first innings. For the East Zone, seamers Mukesh and Shami picked up four and two wickets, respectively. Also read| Lack of 5-star room service plagues Asian Games cricket, official says In reply, East Zone got off to a flyer. Sooryavanshi became the youngest to score a fifty in the competition’s history, and domestic giant Abhimanyu Easwaran scored 69. Vaibhav missed out on a well-deserved hundred by just eight runs (92 in 81 balls), with Harsh Dubey accounting for Kumar Kushagra on the very next ball. Easwaran departed soon after and so did the rest of the batters, as the batting collapse saw East Zone equalling Central Zone’s tally of 266 runs. East Zone Storm into Duleep Trophy Final Shami and Mukesh tore through Central Zone’s second innings by dismissing them for a mere 158. Shami, who last played for India during the triumphant 2025 Champions Trophy campaign, picked up three wickets. Mukesh was the star with the ball in hand, returning with four to complete a seven-wicket haul in the match. Sooryavanshi and Easwaran added 61 for the first wicket during the chase before Yash Thakur dismissed the dangerous Sooryavanshi on 40, courtesy of a world-class catch by Central Zone captain Rajat Patidar in the deep.

Mukesh Kumar’s seven-wicket match haul and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s explosive 92 powered East Zone past Central Zone by four wickets to secure their spot in the Duleep Trophy final.

Mukesh, Sooryavanshi & Shami fire East Zone past Central Zone into Duleep Trophy final

In a massive upgrade for the teen batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who is just a month into his international career, he is named as the vice-captain of the East Zone in the Duleep Trophy – a squad led by his India teammate Ishan Kishan. East Zone squad also comprises two India quicks, Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar. Riyan Parag and Akash Deep failed to make the cut as they continue to recover from surgeries and are still in the rehab phase. While the seamer is recuperating from back surgery, Parag continues to recover from the right shoulder surgery he underwent after IPL 2026.<h2>East Zone Squad in Duleep Trophy –</h2>Ishan Kishan (captain), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (vice-captain), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Gharami, Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Suraj Jaiswal, Virat Singh, Kumar Kushagra, Shikhar Mohan, Subranshu Senapati, Abhijit Sarkar, Anukul Roy and Denish Das<h3>Sooryavanshi's career on a rise</h3>The left-handed opener, who made his India debut during the England T20Is, will open alongside Abhimanyu Easwaran, who aims to make amends after losing his India-A spot early this year. With 113 first-class caps, Easwaran is the most experienced player in the squad. Shikhar Mohan, Jharkhand’s top scorer in his maiden Ranji Trophy season, is picked as the backup opener.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shubman-gill-reclaims-no-1-icc-odi-rankings-test-movers-virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-1785324550858">ICC ODI Rankings: Shubman Gill claims top spot, Kohli and Rohit in top 5</a> &nbsp;Captain Ishan Kishan will continue to keep wickets, with the selectors picking his fellow Jharkhand gloveman, Kumar Kushagra, as his backup. Anukul Roy and Virat Singh, the two players from Jharkhand, also made it to the final squad. &nbsp;Meanwhile, Sooryavanshi, who made headlines for his exploits for India’s Under-19 side that won the ODI World Cup early this year and Rajasthan Royals in only his second IPL season, has mediocre numbers in just eight first-class appearances. Known for his fearless approach, Vaibhav has scored just 207 runs in 12 innings and averages just above 17. His last first-class outing was during a Plate league Ranji Trophy fixture for Bihar against Meghalaya last year.&nbsp; &nbsp;On the other hand, India Test veteran Shami, who picked up 37 wickets in the previous Ranji Trophy season in seven outings, will lead what appears to be an all-Bengal attack, including Mukesh and Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal. The slow left-arm, Shahbaz Ahmed, also from Bengal, is the spin all-rounder.

15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been appointed vice-captain of the East Zone squad led by Ishan Kishan. Check out the full 15-member team and key player updates.

In a massive upgrade for the teen batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who is just a month into his international career, he is named as the vice-captain of the East Zone in the Duleep Trophy – a squad led by his India teammate Ishan Kishan. East Zone squad also comprises two India quicks, Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar. Riyan Parag and Akash Deep failed to make the cut as they continue to recover from surgeries and are still in the rehab phase. While the seamer is recuperating from back surgery, Parag continues to recover from the right shoulder surgery he underwent after IPL 2026. East Zone Squad in Duleep Trophy – Ishan Kishan (captain), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (vice-captain), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Gharami, Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Suraj Jaiswal, Virat Singh, Kumar Kushagra, Shikhar Mohan, Subranshu Senapati, Abhijit Sarkar, Anukul Roy and Denish Das Sooryavanshi's career on a rise The left-handed opener, who made his India debut during the England T20Is, will open alongside Abhimanyu Easwaran, who aims to make amends after losing his India-A spot early this year. With 113 first-class caps, Easwaran is the most experienced player in the squad. Shikhar Mohan, Jharkhand’s top scorer in his maiden Ranji Trophy season, is picked as the backup opener. Also read| ICC ODI Rankings: Shubman Gill claims top spot, Kohli and Rohit in top 5 Captain Ishan Kishan will continue to keep wickets, with the selectors picking his fellow Jharkhand gloveman, Kumar Kushagra, as his backup. Anukul Roy and Virat Singh, the two players from Jharkhand, also made it to the final squad. Meanwhile, Sooryavanshi, who made headlines for his exploits for India’s Under-19 side that won the ODI World Cup early this year and Rajasthan Royals in only his second IPL season, has mediocre numbers in just eight first-class appearances. Known for his fearless approach, Vaibhav has scored just 207 runs in 12 innings and averages just above 17. His last first-class outing was during a Plate league Ranji Trophy fixture for Bihar against Meghalaya last year. On the other hand, India Test veteran Shami, who picked up 37 wickets in the previous Ranji Trophy season in seven outings, will lead what appears to be an all-Bengal attack, including Mukesh and Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal. The slow left-arm, Shahbaz Ahmed, also from Bengal, is the spin all-rounder.

15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been appointed vice-captain of the East Zone squad led by Ishan Kishan. Check out the full 15-member team and key player updates.

Duleep Trophy: 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi named East Zone vice-captain; Kishan to lead