South Zone captain Tilak Varma said he wants to play the Duleep Trophy final against East Zone ahead of the series against Afghanistan. After South Zone registered a seven–wicket win against North Zone, they were able to qualify for the summit clash.

The final of the tournament will be played from September 6 to 10 at BCCI’s CoE in Bengaluru, whereas the first T20I against Afghanistan will be played on 13th September in Delhi, giving a two-day break to Varma.

Meanwhile, Varma is leading South Zone with aplomb in the ongoing Duleep Trophy. The left-hander returned with unbeaten knocks of 116 and 51 in the semifinal of the tournament against North Zone and was awarded Player of the Match.

Tilak Varma said while talking to the reporters via RevSportz, “I want to play the final. But I don’t know; this match has finally finished. I think the Afghanistan game is on the 13th, so I am ready to play the final. Between the final and the first game, we have two days’ break. So, if I report on the 11th, practice on the 12th, and, from there, I can go to the match. That’s how I feel. But, again, it goes to the selectors and team management. We will have a chat.”

Varma admitted he isn’t getting enough time to play the red-ball format in the domestic circuit due to national commitments.

“For my country, right now, I am available for T20s and ODIs, but I love to play red-ball cricket,” Tilak said. “But I don’t have much time to play domestic red-ball cricket because in the last three-four years I was trying to play the Ranji Trophy.”

“But I am not getting the time because I have an international schedule. So, I am trying to play as much red-ball cricket because I want to score there and come to the Indian side as well,” he concluded.

The Duleep Trophy final will be played between South Zone and East Zone from 6th September.