Ishan Kishan's Century Powers East Zone in Duleep Trophy Final

East Zone Takes Charge on Day One

Ishan Kishan showcased his leadership with an impressive unbeaten century as East Zone asserted dominance over South Zone during the first day of the Duleep Trophy 2026-27 final at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday. By the end of the day, East Zone had posted a score of 385/4, with Kishan not out at 111 and Kumar Kushagra contributing an unbeaten 63.

The duo formed a solid partnership, adding 144 runs without losing a wicket in just 26.4 overs, putting East Zone firmly in control after South Zone had made some early breakthroughs. Kishan's performance was crucial as he aimed to reaffirm his status as a formidable red-ball cricketer, marking his 10th century in first-class cricket and surpassing the 4,000-run milestone.

Strong Start from the Top Order

Earlier in the match, Abhimanyu Easwaran and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi provided a robust start for East Zone, establishing a century partnership for the opening wicket. Easwaran, celebrating his 31st birthday, displayed excellent form, scoring 72 before being run out due to a mix-up with Shikhar Mohan.

Sooryavanshi brought early aggression to the innings, scoring 34 runs off 24 balls before being dismissed by CV Milind. He had previously taken on Mohammed Siraj, hitting him for a sequence of 4, 6, 4 during his opening spell.

Easwaran combined his usual solidity with an aggressive back-foot game, particularly excelling against short balls, and reached his half-century in just 46 balls.

Kishan and Kushagra Take Control

Following Sooryavanshi's dismissal, Mohan joined Easwaran and continued to build on East's momentum. Making his Duleep Trophy debut, the Jharkhand batter played with poise, scoring 85 runs before falling to Milind, leaving East at 241/4.

Kishan and Kushagra then took over the innings. Kishan initially played conservatively but shifted gears after reaching his half-century off 71 balls, hitting T Vijay for a six right after his milestone and accelerating towards his century.

Kushagra also played aggressively, hitting five sixes and four fours in his unbeaten 63, effectively countering the short-ball tactics employed by South Zone.

Challenges for South Zone

South Zone's bowlers struggled to contain the East batters, with Siraj having a particularly tough day, finishing with figures of 0/96 in 14 overs. Only 79 overs were bowled, and South Zone also faced issues with their over-rate.

The visitors' strategy faced criticism as they repeatedly opted for short-pitched bowling against Kishan and Kushagra, who effectively countered this approach.

With East Zone last winning the Duleep Trophy 13 years ago, they will resume play on Monday in a strong position, with Kishan and Kushagra well set, while South Zone faces a challenging day ahead in the field.