East Zone seized control of the Duleep Trophy 2026 final on Sunday, finishing a dominant opening day at 385/4 against South Zone. Captain
After opting to bat first, East Zone built a formidable platform through consistent contributions from their top order. Abhimanyu Easwaran provided a steady start with 72, while teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi contributed 44. Following the departure of Sudip Kumar Gharami for 6, Shikhar Mohan anchored the middle phase of the innings with a composed 85 off 120 deliveries. By the time Chama Milind claimed Mohan’s wicket, the scoreboard read 241/4, setting the stage for a late-day surge.
Kishan and Kushagra dominate the final session
The momentum shifted decisively in the final session as Kishan and Kumar Kushagra dismantled the South Zone attack. The pair put together an unbroken 144-run partnership for the fifth wicket, requiring just 160 balls to reach that milestone. Kishan, who finished the day on 111 not out from 135 deliveries, displayed aggressive intent by striking 14 fours and two sixes. His partner, Kushagra, remained unbeaten on 63 off 75 balls as the duo accelerated through the final 10 overs, adding 74 runs without loss.
South Zone’s bowling unit struggled to find consistent breakthroughs on a surface that offered little assistance. Chama Milind emerged as the most effective bowler, returning figures of 2/56 from his 13 overs. However, the rest of the attack faced significant pressure; Tripurana Vijay claimed one wicket but proved expensive, conceding 114 runs in 22 overs. Mohammed Siraj endured a difficult outing, finishing wicketless after 14 overs while leaking 96 runs.
With East Zone firmly in the ascendancy at 385/4, the focus shifts to Day 2. Kishan and Kushagra will look to extend their partnership and push the team toward a commanding first-innings total. For South Zone, the priority will be securing early wickets with the second new ball to prevent the game from slipping further out of reach.
