After ending the first day’s play on Sunday with a hundred, Ishan continued his onslaught against Tilak Varma ‘s South Zone on Day 2. By breaching the 200-run mark, Ishan became only the fifth batter in the tournament’s history to reach the landmark in the final. ( Duleep Trophy Final Updates ) Captain leading from the front, Ishan Kishan , made his bat do the talking as he slammed a brilliant double century in the Duleep Trophy final between East Zone and South Zone on Monday.
The only other batters to have hit a double century in the Duleep Trophy final are Raman Lamba (320 against West Zone in the 1987-88 season), Anshuman Gaekwad (216 against North Zone in the 1987-88 season), Cheteshwar Pujara (256 not-out against India Red in 2016-17) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (209 against South Zone in the 2022-23 season). At the close of Day 1, East Zone reached 385/4 at stumps, with Ishan unbeaten on 111 and Kumar Kushagra on 63 not out. The pair built an unbroken 144-run partnership in just 26.4 overs to put East Zone firmly in control. East Zone, who last won the Duleep Trophy 13 years ago, are now firmly in the driving seat.
From the outset, Ishan led East Zone with authority. If their bowlers deliver a disciplined performance, they may not even need to bat a second time to lift the trophy.
On Day 2, Kushagra also reached his triple-digit milestone before being dismissed. The left-hander also crossed the 4,000-run mark in first-class cricket while bringing up his 10th century in the format. However, his departure did not derail Ishan, who continued to anchor the innings with composure. Ishan’s knock was particularly significant as he continues his push to re-establish himself as a serious red-ball cricketer. Beyond the numerical milestones, this innings serves as a timely reminder of Ishan’s temperament and technical adaptability in the longer format. Dominating a high-stakes final under pressure highlights his capacity to construct lengthy, match-winning knocks, sending a strong signal to the national selectors regarding his red-ball credentials.
