Ishan Kishan’s East Zone win Duleep Trophy, end 13-year-long wait
The celebrations broke out at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Ishan Kishan and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi got onto the field and danced with stumps in hand as East Zone won the Duleep Trophy for the first time since the 2012-13 season. They completed a dominant victory over South Zone in the zonal red-ball tournament final, which stretched over five days in front of a healthy crowd in Chennai.
East Zone smashed 708 in the first innings, riding on Ishan Kishan’s 270 and Kumar Kushagra’s 101. South Zone managed only 336 despite a fighting 99 from Tilak Varma. East Zone’s bowlers – Mohammed Shami (2/42), Mukesh Kumar (3/62) and Md Kounain Quraishi (2/99) – stepped up to give their side a healthy first-innings lead, which ultimately proved decisive.
East Zone batted on in their second innings, scoring 388 for 7 before declaring in the second session on Day 5. The two captains, Ishan and Tilak, shook hands as East Zone were declared winners on the basis of their first-innings lead.
It was a tough grind for the South Zone bowlers, who sent down 99.2 overs in the second innings after bowling 163 overs in the first. Ishan stepped up again, scoring 80 to finish the final with 350 runs. His performance underlined his commitment to red-ball cricket and sent a strong message to the selectors that he is ready for a return to the Test side.
All-rounder Quraishi also made the most of a tiring South Zone attack, scoring his maiden first-class hundred in the second innings and punishing the bowlers on Day 5.
South Zone’s Mohammed Siraj, who bowled long spells throughout the match, lacked support from the other end as East Zone dominated with the bat in Chennai.
It was also a landmark moment for 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who seems to have made a habit of collecting trophies. While he made 44 and 8 in the two innings of the final, Vaibhav played a bigger role in East Zone’s win over Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy semifinal in Bengaluru last week.
The foundation for the triumph was laid in the opening two days when East Zone amassed a mammoth 708 after opting to bat first. Kishan produced a magnificent 270, while Kumar Kushagra scored 101 and Shikhar Mohan added 85 to give East Zone complete control of the contest.
South Zone never found a way to overturn that advantage, finishing their first innings on 336. Captain Tilak Varma led the resistance with 99, while Devdutt Padikkal made 62, but Mukesh Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Md Kounain Quraishi and Shikhar Mohan kept the wickets coming to hand East Zone a huge 372-run first-innings lead.
East Zone then refused to ease off, adding another 388/7 before declaring. Kishan contributed 80, while Quraishi marked his breakthrough with an unbeaten 116 alongside Anukul Roy’s 64, pushing the overall lead to 760 and confirming East Zone’s first Duleep Trophy title in 13 years.
KISHAN SET THE TONE
Kishan was the defining figure of the final, with his 270 providing the platform for East Zone’s massive first-innings total. The captain then returned in the second innings to score a fluent 80 off 98 balls, combining his batting contributions with assured leadership throughout the final.
The finishing touch came from Quraishi, who produced the innings of his young first-class career. Playing only his second innings of the match, the 116 not out came from 189 balls and included 13 fours and four sixes. His 150-run stand with Anukul Roy allowed East Zone to stretch their lead beyond 700 before Kishan declared.
At just 15, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was among the youngest members of the championship-winning squad and served as East Zone’s vice-captain. He made an immediate impact in the final, scoring 44 off 37 balls during a 100-run opening partnership with Abhimanyu Easwaran.
Sooryavanshi’s influence extended beyond his batting. He convinced Kishan to review a caught-behind appeal against Ricky Bhui, with UltraEdge confirming the edge, before another review involving Padikkal proved unsuccessful. His confidence and involvement continued into the celebrations, where he was seen dancing with Kishan while holding a stump.
A COMPLETE TEAM EFFORT TO END THE WAIT
East Zone’s title was built on contributions across departments. Shami produced a miserly spell, Mukesh took three wickets in South Zone’s first innings, while Quraishi made an impact with both bat and ball. Mohammed Siraj also bowled nine overs on the final day despite the outcome already being effectively decided.
The declaration brought the celebrations into full swing, with Kishan and Sooryavanshi among those dancing with stumps before the team took a lap around the ground. After 13 years, East Zone had their hands on the Duleep Trophy again, having controlled the final from the moment they posted 708.
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