The focus in this Duleep Trophy final in Chennai will be on the likes of East Zone captain Ishan Kishan, South Zone skipper Tilak Varma, alongside pacer Mohammed Siraj and India’s current Test No.3 Devdutt Padikkal, who was the Player of the Series on the recent Test tour of Sri Lanka.
Each of these players would want to come up with a performance of significance to set themselves up for their coming international assignments.
But, for Ishan and Tilak, who are both in the India squad for the T20I series versus Afghanistan starting on September 13, the challenge will be to adapt very quickly to T20 cricket.
Assuming the Duleep final will last all five days, till September 10, the duo will
have just two days to get ready for the Afghanistan T20Is in New Delhi.
“It is just about knowing what format you are playing. I know it gets difficult when you are playing Test cricket and suddenly you have to go and start hitting from ball one (in T20s). And then suddenly you have to go back to your domestic team and you have to play an entirely different role,” Kishan said on Saturday, the eve of the Duleep Trophy final.
Being a supporting voice to his East counterpart, Tilak said: “Yes, it will be slightly challenging playing five days here and again joining the Indian team.
“From here (Chennai), we are going to Delhi, so, there will be like a two-day break. We can practise there. But as I said, it will be slightly challenging.”
Talking about dealing with the situation, Ishan and Tilak banked on their ability to adapt. “We have played enough domestic games. We have played in every condition, so we can adjust.
“We know how to change our mindsets and maintain our body with good fluids and everything,” Tilak said.