Ishan Kishan's Stellar 270 Propels East Zone in Duleep Trophy Final

Kishan's Remarkable Innings Shines in Humid Conditions

Chennai: Ishan Kishan showcased his exceptional talent by scoring an impressive 270 runs, reminding selectors of his capabilities in red-ball cricket and helping East Zone amass a staggering total of 708 on the second day of the Duleep Trophy final against South Zone on Monday.

Kumar Kushagra also made a significant contribution, scoring his sixth first-class century with a solid 101 runs off 132 balls, providing crucial support to Kishan's monumental innings that lasted 522 minutes and involved 334 balls over nearly two days.

As South Zone prepares to start anew on the third day, they managed to dismiss the last East Zone batsman in the final moments of the previous day.

Kishan's performance was particularly noteworthy as it unfolded in front of three national selectors.

Although he fell short of joining the elite group of players who have scored triple centuries in the Duleep Trophy—previously achieved by Raman Lamba in 1987 and Gagan Khoda in 2001—his innings was still remarkable.

His batting style bore a resemblance to that of Virender Sehwag, characterized by explosive scoring, effortless acceleration, and a keen awareness of the playing conditions.

Kishan's first century came on the opening day in just 122 balls, while he took 148 balls to reach his second hundred.

This slowdown was not due to exceptional bowling or a challenging pitch but rather a strategic decision to tire out the bowlers and set a formidable target.

His second double hundred came off 270 balls, marked by a boundary against part-time spinner Devdutt Padikkal.

The only moment of discomfort for Kishan occurred when left-arm pacer CV Milind struck him on the abdomen, necessitating brief medical attention.

However, he quickly resumed his aggressive batting after surpassing the double century mark.

Kishan accelerated from 200 to 250 runs in just 31 balls, particularly targeting spinners Shreyas Gopal and Tripurana Vijay, who both suffered under his onslaught.

He scored 94 runs off 100 balls against Gopal and 70 runs off 88 balls against Vijay, showcasing his dominance over spin bowling.

Throughout his innings, Kishan relied heavily on pulls and drives, hitting 22 fours in total.

For the second consecutive day, South Zone's bowlers, especially lead pacer Mohammad Siraj, struggled to make an impact, hindered by a flat pitch and Kishan's extraordinary batting.

Eventually, fatigue set in, and Kishan departed after scoring 250 runs off 301 balls, including 27 fours and seven sixes.

His efforts helped East Zone accumulate 106 runs in the first session and 135 runs after lunch.

By this time, Kishan had formed a formidable partnership of 230 runs with Kushagra for the fifth wicket in just 290 balls, and another 140 runs with Anukul Roy, who scored 40 runs off 86 balls, further distancing South Zone from the match.

Kushagra also impressed with his fluent batting, reaching his century in 128 balls with eight fours and five sixes, although he could not extend his innings.

His dismissal came from a casual pull off a half-tracker from Vijay, caught by Milind behind square leg.

Kishan returned to the crease soon after Mohammad Shami's early dismissal in the final session, coming close to a maiden triple hundred.

However, the moment never materialized as Kishan's attempt to hit Vijay resulted in a catch to Ravichandran Smaran near the sight screen.