Kolkata: Ishan Kishan was dismissed within touching distance of another hundred in the second innings as East Zone moved one day close to winning their first Duleep Trophy title in 13 years at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday. At stumps on the fourth day of the final, East Zone were 212/5 in their second innings, a staggering 584 runs ahead of South Zone.
Kishan had begun the match with a magnificent 270 in East Zone’s imposing 708 and, after South Zone were dismissed for 336, returned to the middle with the prospect of another substantial hundred. He made 80 from 98 balls, striking nine fours and three sixes, and for a while appeared intent on doing exactly that.
The early part of the innings, however, belonged to South Zone. Openers Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (8) and Abhimanyu Easwaran (3) both fell before they had properly begun. Sooryavanshi’s dismissal was particularly wasteful. With East Zone already 372 ahead, he had every reason to play with freedom but charged down the pitch at off-spinner Tripurana Vijay, was deceived in flight and stumped by Narayan Jagadeesan.
Kishan then took control of the proceedings. With Shikhar Mohan, he put together a century partnership, absorbing the early pressure before turning the innings towards a more familiar aggressive mode. Kishan twice cleared the ropes against Vijay and repeatedly used his feet against spin, while Mohan provided the ballast with 52 from 85 balls.
Yet South Zone kept finding ways back. Mohan fell leg before to Shaik Rasheed and Sudip Kumar Gharami was run out for two. Kishan, meanwhile, had begun to look increasingly adventurous. Pacer MD Nidheesh exploited that restlessness with a sequence of short and slower deliveries.
{{/usCountry}}Yet South Zone kept finding ways back. Mohan fell leg before to Shaik Rasheed and Sudip Kumar Gharami was run out for two. Kishan, meanwhile, had begun to look increasingly adventurous. Pacer MD Nidheesh exploited that restlessness with a sequence of short and slower deliveries.
{{/usCountry}}He fell to make it 139/3. Kishan backed away to a slower ball, swung early and sent a thick top edge high towards wide slip. Devdutt Padikkal settled underneath it and completed the catch. Kishan walked away for 80—an excellent score in isolation, but one that felt strangely incomplete after the 270 that had preceded it.
Earlier, South Zone’s late resistance had centered on Tilak Varma. The captain had carried his side through much of their first innings, batting for more than three and a half hours for 99 from 211 balls. He was the last man out, one run short of a hundred that would have been richly deserved. His dismissal was cruelly simple. Spinner Md Kounain Quraishi tossed the ball up outside off and Varma made room to drive against the turn. The bat turned on impact and the ball ballooned straight back to the bowler, who completed the return catch, meaning South Zone were 336 all out.
Quraishi finished with two wickets, while Mukesh Kumar took three and Mohammed Shami two.
East Zone’s advantage had already become overwhelming. Kumar Kushagra, who made 101 in the first innings, remained unbeaten on 34 at the close, alongside Quraishi on 26. Their unbeaten partnership has pushed East Zone still further towards the finish line.
Brief scores: East Zone 708 & 212/5 (I Kishan 80, S Mohan 52) v South Zone 336 all out in 107.3 ovs (T Varma 99, C Milind 43, M Kumar 3/62, M Shami 2/42, S Mohan 2/62, M Quraishi 2/99).