Mayank to lead South Zone

Bengaluru: Karnataka opener Mayank Agarwal will lead South Zone in the Deodhar Trophy limited overs competition that gets underway in Puducherry on July 24. Kerala’s top-order bat Rohan Kunnummal is Agarwal’s deputy.The batting line-up also includes the big-hitting N Jagadeesan from Tamil Nadu, who amassed 830 runs (8 matches; 5 centuries) in Vijay Hazare 2022. The South Zone selection committee, led by Goa’s Rohan Gauns Desai, which met in Panaji on Tuesday, also picked southpaw Devdutt Padikkal, who missed out the 50-overs competition due to illness last season, along with Rohit Rayudu, Arun Karthik and Andhra’s wicketkeeper-bat Ricky Bhui. With the Deodhar Trophy clashing with the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, South will miss some of their young batting talent including Sai Sudharsan, Nikin Jose. Tilak Varma is bound for the Caribbean for the West Indies series.Karnataka’s pace trio – V Koushik, Vidwath Kaverappa and Vyshak Vijaykumar — is in the line-up despite Vyshak not making the Vijay Hazare squad last year. Another surprise inclusion is Goa’s left-arm pacer Arjun Tendulkar, who returned eight wickets in seven matches at an average of 32.36 and economy of 4.98. The spin department will be spearheaded by Tamil Nadu’s spin duo Washington Sundar and Sai Kishore. The squad: Mayank Agarwal (Capt; Kar), Rohan Kunnummal (VC; Ker), N Jagadeesan (TN), Rohit Rayudu (Hyd), Arun Karthik (Pondi), Devdutt Padikkal (Kar), Ricky Bhui (WK; AP), Washington Sundar (TN), Vidwath Kaverappa, Vyshak Vijaykumar, V Koushik (all Karnataka), Mohit Redkar (Goa), Sijomon Joseph (Ker), Arjun Tendulkar (Goa), Sai Kishore (TN).