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Gavaskar Criticises East Zone’s Draw Approach in Duleep Trophy Final
East Zone won the Duleep Trophy final because it scored many more runs than South Zone in the first innings.
The match ended in a draw at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
East Zone had made 708 runs and built a 372-run lead.
Sunil Gavaskar said the team should have tried harder to win the match outright.
He questioned why the teams stopped early when South Zone could not realistically chase more than 650 runs.
Gavaskar connected this issue to India’s difficulty taking all 20 wickets in Test matches.
He said bowlers need practice in dismissing opponents twice.
He also noted that long matches can cause physical and mental tiredness.
East Zone won the 2026 Duleep Trophy after the final against South Zone ended in a draw.
East Zone secured the title through a 372-run first-innings lead after scoring 708.
Sunil Gavaskar criticised East Zone for extending its second innings instead of pursuing an outright victory.
The captains ended the match on the fifth day with East Zone holding an overall lead of 760 runs.
Gavaskar said domestic teams need more opportunities to bowl in two innings and learn to take 20 wickets.
- Who
- East Zone, South Zone, their captains Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma, and former India captain Sunil Gavaskar.
- What
- East Zone won the Duleep Trophy after the final was drawn, while Gavaskar criticised its decision not to pursue an outright victory.
- Where
- MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
- When
- The final was played in 2026 and ended on its fifth day.
- Why
- East Zone won through its first-innings lead, while Gavaskar argued that pursuing a full victory would better develop bowlers’ ability to take 20 wickets.
Pursue an outright victory
Rely on the first-innings lead
Match strategy
Pursue an outright victory
Sunil Gavaskar argued that East Zone should have declared or otherwise pursued South Zone’s dismissal to seek a complete win.
Rely on the first-innings lead
East Zone secured the trophy through its substantial first-innings lead, and the final ultimately ended in a draw.
Ending the match
Pursue an outright victory
Gavaskar questioned why the match was stopped before lunch if the remaining sessions were not going to be used to pursue a result.
Rely on the first-innings lead
Captains Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma agreed to end the match early with East Zone holding an overall lead of 760 runs.
Impact on Indian cricket
Pursue an outright victory
Gavaskar said teams need to bowl in two innings to learn how to take 20 wickets, helping address India’s struggles on good pitches.
Rely on the first-innings lead
The article notes that current domestic formats often allow teams to settle for first-innings leads, especially after totals of 700 or more reduce the time available for a result.
Key facts
- Competition
- 2026 Duleep Trophy final
- Result
- Match drawn; East Zone won the trophy
- Venue
- MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
- East Zone first innings
- 708 runs
- First-innings lead
- 372 runs
- Lead when play ended
- 760 runs
- Gavaskar’s criticism
- East Zone prolonged its second innings instead of seeking an outright win
Quotes
Sunil Gavaskar
Former India captain and legendary opening batter
“Just like it takes time for a batter to learn how to go from 20 and 30 to a half-century and from 70 and 80 to a century, so also understanding how to get 10 wickets in the second innings takes time.”
livemint.com
“This business of the first innings lead being enough, is one of the main reasons India struggle to take 20 wickets on good pitches.”
livemint.com
Sources
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