The Wait Is Over: Kishan’s 350 Powers East Zone to Duleep Trophy Glory After 13 Years

Xtratime Webdesk: East Zone finally ended their 13-year wait for the Duleep Trophy on Thursday, securing the title after their final against South Zone ended in a draw at M A Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. Ishan Kishan’s side had already taken control of the contest by posting a mammoth 708 in their first innings, and their strong performance with the ball restricted South Zone to 336. With the first-innings lead deciding the outcome, East Zone walked away with the trophy.

At the centre of East Zone’s campaign was their captain Ishan Kishan, who produced one of the finest knocks of the tournament. Kishan smashed 270 in the first innings and followed it with an aggressive 80 in the second, finishing the final with 350 runs. His batting gave East Zone the platform to control the match from the opening day.

But the title was far from a one-man effort. Kumar Kushagra added a crucial 101, while Shikhar Mohan contributed 85 and Abhimanyu Easwaran made 72 as East Zone crossed the 700-run mark. Youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also chipped in with 44, while Anukul Roy and Md Kounain Qureshi made useful contributions.

The bowling unit then ensured that South Zone could not recover. Mukesh Kumar led the attack with three wickets, while Mohammed Shami, Kounain Qureshi and Shikhar Mohan also played their part in breaking South Zone's resistance. South Zone captain Tilak Varma fought hard with 99, but his side eventually fell 372 runs short of East Zone's first-innings total.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly joined the celebrations, congratulating East Zone on their long-awaited triumph and applauding the Bengal players for their performance.

“Congratulations to East Zone, under the leadership of Ishan Kishan, for winning the Duleep Trophy after so many years. They went unbeaten in the competition. Well done to the Bengal boys for their exemplary performance right throughout the tournament, and to the other members of the team as well.”
— Sourav Ganguly

For Kishan, the title also added significance to his return to domestic red-ball cricket. His performances throughout the final reflected a player looking more settled, composed and determined to make his opportunities count. The East Zone captain also stressed the importance of the team staying together, with players looking out for each other rather than relying on individual performances.

That collective approach ultimately defined East Zone's campaign. From Kishan's huge double century to Kushagra's hundred, Mohan's all-round contribution, the bowlers' discipline and the younger players stepping up, East Zone found contributions across the squad.