Holders Karnataka, as their chief selector and former left-arm spinner Raghuram Bhat put it, are looking for an encore as the curtain goes up on the South Zone one-day tournament for the Subbhiah Pillai Trophy here on Tuesday.

Karnataka, who will be kicking off their campaign taking on Andhra, are confident of putting up a strong showing. Bhat said: “Former India skipper and the team’s star player, Rahul Dravid, who is recovering from a finger injury, may join the team for the last two matches. C Raghu will lead the team in Dravid’s absence.

“We have inducted some Under-20 players into the squad for this tournament and I am expecting them to fare well”, the former wily spinner said.

He said the team was mix of seniors and upcoming talent. “But we don’t underestimate the other teams. The balance in the other sides is also on these lines”, he added.

Karnataka, last year’s runners-up Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra, Hyderabad and Goa will be vying for honours in the championship which will be played on round-robin league format.

Karnataka had won all the matches last year to finish on top.

While Hyderabad take on Kerala, Tamil Nadu will play against Goa in the other first-round matches on the morrow.