Batter Tilak Varma to lead South Zone

Bengaluru: India batter N Tilak Varma was on Sunday named as the South Zone skipper in the season-opening Duleep Trophy to be held here next month.

Tilak was in fine touch for Hampshire recently, smashing 100, 56, 47 and 112 in four innings for English side.agencies

Kerala players were rewarded for their excellent run till the Ranji Trophy final as four players from the state found place in the 16-member squad.

They were: Mohammed Azharuddeen, who will be Tilak’s deputy, MD Nidheesh, Basil NP and Salman Nizar.

Tamil Nadu batter Narayan Jagadeesan, who has flown to England as a cover for the injured Rishabh Pant, senior left-arm spinner R Sai

Kishore and middle-order batter Devdutt Padikkal too are in the squad.

India and Karnataka pacer Vyshak Vijaykumar will lead the South Zone

bowling attack.