Follow UsIt can only be called fate as Kerala and former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Mohammed Azharuddeen was named as captain of the South Zone side that will face North Zone in the semi-final of the Duleep Trophy 2025.
Azharuddeen, who was initially named vice captain to Tilak Varma, got this opportunity, not because Tilak was included in the Indian Asia Cup squad, but because Tilak’s replacement as South Zone captain, Sai Kishore, got injured and was ruled out of the match.
The semifinal will start on September 4 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground in Bengaluru. North Zone reached the semis after gaining a first-innings lead in the quarterfinal against East Zone.
Though Tamil Nadu captain and Gujarat Titans (GT) star Sai Kishore couldn’t get the captaincy due to injury, his state buddy and wicket-keeper batter from Tamil Nadu, N. Jagadeesan, got the vice-captaincy.
Other additions to the South Zone squad are Ankit Sharma of Puducherry and Shaik Rasheed of Andhra Pradesh. Sharma is a former spinner from Madhya Pradesh, who now plays for Puducherry and who was also drafted by various Indian Premier League (IPL) teams in hay days, including the Rising Pune Supergiants, Rajasthan Royals, Deccan Chargers and their replacement Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Rasheed is a 20-year-old wicketkeeper and top-order batter who is also a Chennai Super Kings (CSK) recruit.