Ishan Kishan hits century as East Zone dominates Duleep Trophy final opening day

Ishan Kishan produced a commanding performance on the opening day of the Duleep Trophy final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, steering East Zone to a dominant position of 385-4. After winning the toss and electing to bat, East Zone capitalised on favourable conditions to put the South Zone bowling attack under immense pressure throughout Sunday’s play.

Kishan, currently outside the national red-ball setup, anchored the innings with an unbeaten 111 off 135 balls. His innings featured 14 boundaries and a six, showcasing a blend of patience and aggression. After reaching his half-century in 71 deliveries, the left-hander accelerated significantly, needing only 51 more balls to reach his 10th first-class century. He brought up the milestone by driving veteran leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal, who was making his 100th first-class appearance, straight down the ground.

Following the departure of Easwaran, who contributed a fluent 72 off 86 balls before being run out, Kishan took control of the innings. He found a reliable partner in Kumar Kushagra, and the pair dismantled the South Zone attack with an unbroken 144-run stand for the fifth wicket. Kushagra remained unbeaten on 63 from 75 balls, striking five sixes and four boundaries to ensure East Zone finished the day in a commanding spot. Chama Milind was the pick of the South Zone bowlers, finishing the day with figures of 2-56.