Ishan Kishan double century
East Zone captain Ishan Kishan produced a landmark performance in the Duleep Trophy final, smashing a double century against South Zone and entering an elite group of batters who have reached the 200-run mark in the tournament’s final.
Kishan had already scored a century on the opening day and continued his impressive assault on Monday. By crossing 200, he became only the fifth batter in Duleep Trophy history to score a double century in the final, underlining the significance of his innings on the domestic cricket stage.
Before Kishan, only four batters had scored double centuries in a Duleep Trophy final: Raman Lamba, Anshuman Gaekwad, Cheteshwar Pujara and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Lamba holds the record for the highest score in a Duleep Trophy final, having smashed 320 against West Zone in the 1987-88 season. Gaekwad scored 216 against North Zone in the same season.
Pujara remained unbeaten on 256 against India Red in the 2016-17 final, while Jaiswal scored 209 against South Zone during the 2022-23 season.
Kishan’s entry into this group adds another major milestone to his first-class career.
Kishan led East Zone from the front from the beginning of the final. At the close of the opening day, East Zone were 385 for four, with Kishan unbeaten on 111 and Kumar Kushagra on 63.
The pair put together a crucial partnership to give East Zone control of the contest. On the second day, Kushagra also completed his century before being dismissed, but Kishan continued to dominate the South Zone attack.
The double century was not the only landmark in the innings. Kishan also crossed 4,000 runs in first-class cricket and brought up his 10th century in the format.
Kishan has already established his credentials in white-ball cricket, but his performances in domestic red-ball cricket have remained important as he looks to strengthen his case for a return to the national Test setup.
Scoring a double century in a high-pressure Duleep Trophy final is a significant statement. Kishan combined patience with attacking strokeplay and showed the ability to construct a long innings against a quality South Zone attack.
East Zone, meanwhile, are chasing their first Duleep Trophy title in 13 years. With their captain producing a monumental innings in the final, they have put themselves in a commanding position.
The responsibility now shifts to the East Zone bowlers to convert the advantage created by Kishan and the team’s batting unit. For Kishan, the performance is more than just another domestic milestone—it is a timely reminder of his ability to produce match-defining innings in the longer format.
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