Ishan Kishan turned the Duleep Trophy final into a personal milestone on Monday as the East Zone captain smashed a spectacular double century against South Zone. After scoring a hundred on the first day, Kishan continued to dominate the bowling attack on Day 2 and went beyond the 200-run mark.
With the landmark, Kishan became only the fifth batter to score a double century in a Duleep Trophy final. The previous players to achieve the feat are Raman Lamba, Anshuman Gaekwad, Cheteshwar Pujara and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Lamba scored 320 against West Zone in 1987-88, while Gaekwad made 216 against North Zone in the same season. Pujara scored an unbeaten 256 against India Red in the 2016-17 season, and Jaiswal hit 209 against South Zone in 2022-23.
Kishan’s contribution had already given East Zone the upper hand after the first day’s play. The team reached 385/4 at stumps, with Kishan on 111 not out and Kumar Kushagra unbeaten on 63. The two batters shared an unbeaten 144-run stand in 26.4 overs.
The innings also saw Kishan complete 4,000 runs in first-class cricket and register his 10th century in the format. His performance comes as he continues his efforts to make a strong comeback as a red-ball cricketer.
East Zone have not won the Duleep Trophy for 13 years, but their position in the current final puts them within touching distance of the title. If the bowlers can maintain their discipline, East Zone could potentially finish the contest without needing to bat for a second time.
For Kishan, the knock is also an important statement about his ability in the longer format. A big innings in a high-pressure final showcases his patience, technique and ability to turn a strong start into a match-defining performance.
