Ishan Kishan sent a message to the Ajit Agarkar-headed selection committee with a double-century in the Duleep Trophy final. Captain Kishan led East Zone from the front and played a 270-run knock as they put on a big total of 708 on the board.
Coming out to bat at number five, Kishan hit 30 fours and seven sixes in his knock. He and Kumar Kushagra frustrated the South Zone bowlers and added 230 runs for the fifth wicket. Aakash Chopra heaped praise on Kishan for his heroics and also explained how his knock has all but sealed the Duleep Trophy title for East Zone.
“What a performance by Ishan Kishan, my brother! He has absolutely smashed it – 270 runs in the Duleep Trophy final, helping his team go past 700. I mean, in a way, you could say the game is as good as over because the match will essentially be decided on the first-innings lead,” the former India opener said on his YouTube channel.
“There is no doubt that the South Zone is in a dire situation, but the question is: what can be done about it? Can something be changed? We should talk about Ishan Kishan.”
As Chopra explained, the team taking the first-innings lead is declared the winner in case the match ends in a draw. A play of three days is still left and East Zone could also bat again. South Zone lost the early wicket of Ricky Bhui in the first session of third day’s play.
Ishan Kishan’s Test career
made his Test debut in the series against West Indies in 2023. He played both games in the Caribbean islands and scored 78 runs. Kishan left Team India during the South Africa tour and returned home before the Test series. He also skipped domestic cricket.
Kishan was dropped from the BCCI Central Contract list for skipping domestic cricket. Kishan made his return to domestic cricket in the 2024-25 season and two years later, he has put himself in contention to make a Test comeback. Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel are presently the two wicketkeepers in the Test team.