Hanuma Vihari to lead South Zone in Duleep Trophy 2023; KS Bharat, Sai Sudarshan included in 15-member squad

Andhra batter Hanuma Vihari will reprise his role as the captain of South Zone team in the forthcoming Duleep Trophy 2023.

The selectors of the South Zone Associations picked a 15-man squad during their meeting held in Goa on Tuesday, June 13.

Hanuma Vihari hasn't played any competitive cricket since Andhra lost the Ranji Trophy quarter-final match against Madhya Pradesh on January 31. The 29-year-old will lead the South Zone team for the second successive year after guiding them to the final of Duleep Trophy 2022.

Karnataka batter Mayank Agarwal will continue his role as deputy to Vihari for the knockout red-ball tournament.

Indian wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat, who recently played in the World Test Championship final against Australia in London, has been added to the South Zone squad as a wicketkeeper along with Andhra teammate Ricky Bhui.

Washington Sundar, Sai Sudharsan, Pradosh Ranjan Paul and Sai Kishore have been picked from Tamil Nadu. Sai Sudarsan was impressive with the bat for TN in the 2022-23 domestic season and also played an integral role in Gujarat Titans' run to the IPL final.

Karnataka top-order batter Ravi Kumar Samarth and pace bowler Vyshak Vijaykumar will join Mayank Agarwal in the 15-member squad.

Meanwhile, Kerala batter Sachin Baby, Hyderabad youngster Tilak Varma and Goa spinner Darshan Misal are the only players selected in the squad from their respective state teams.

South Zone squad for Duleep Trophy 2023: Hanuma Vihari (c), Mayank Agarwal (vc), KS Bharat (wk), Ricky Bhui (wk), Sai Sudharshan, Washington Sundar, R Samarth, Tilak Varma, Sachin Baby, Sai Kishore, V Kaverappa, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, KV Sasikanth, Darshan Misal

Duleep Trophy 2023 to mark the start of India's 2023-24 domestic season

The 2023 Duleep Trophy will start the domestic Indian cricket season. It is a knockout format tournament with six zones taking part.

The upcoming season of Duleep Trophy will be played from June 28 to July 16. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to announce the fixtures and venues for the same.

West Zone are the defending champions as they defeated South Zone by 294 runs in last year's final in Coimbatore. Senior Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane was the West Zone captain in Duleep Trophy 2022.

South Zone will earn an automatic semi-final berth in the upcoming Duleep Trophy season by virtue of being the finalists of the previous season.