East Zone End 13-Year Wait For Duleep Trophy Glory
East Zone ended a 13-year wait for the Duleep Trophy title after dominating South Zone throughout the five-day final, securing the championship on the basis of a massive first-innings lead despite the match ending in a draw in Chennai on Thursday.
East reached 388 for seven in their second innings before the teams shook hands at 2:10pm, taking their overall lead to 760 runs. Their commanding 708 in the first innings had already given them a 372-run advantage and effectively settled the title contest.
East Zone Complete Duleep Trophy Dominance
Mohammad Kounian Quraishi added the finishing touches to East Zone’s remarkable campaign with an unbeaten 116, the maiden first-class century of his fledgling career.
The 22-year-old, playing only his second first-class match, reached the landmark in 179 balls with a brace off left-arm pacer CV Milind. He shared a 150-run seventh-wicket partnership with Anukul Roy, who scored 64.
But the trophy had effectively been secured long before Quraishi completed his century.
East’s mammoth first-innings total of 708 allowed them to establish a 372-run lead, and the second innings became a continuation of their dominance.
Ishan Kishan Leads East Zone Charge
Skipper Ishan Kishan was central to East Zone’s success, producing a sensational 270 in the first innings to underline his red-ball credentials.
Kishan also displayed impressive tactical awareness as captain. Once East had posted a huge total, his priority was clear: dismiss all 10 South batters and secure a substantial first-innings lead.
“I think when you are the captain of the team, the first thing is situational awareness. We batted for roughly two days, right? Now, as a unit, we know this is essentially a first-innings shootout,” Kishan said.
“So, our primary task was to take those first 10 wickets and gain that lead. If we have an innings lead, why would I want to step back out in the blazing heat,” he added.
East Zone Batters Make Their Mark
Kishan was not the only East Zone batter to shine in the Duleep Trophy final.
Kumar Kushagra struck his sixth first-class hundred, while Jharkhand’s Shikhar Mohan produced a composed half-century filled with maturity.
Veteran Mohammed Shami also made his presence felt while playing his 100th first-class match, producing a spirited performance that stood out alongside several younger East Zone players.
Quraishi then joined the century-makers with his unbeaten 116, ensuring East finished the match firmly in control.
South Zone Fail To Challenge East
South Zone’s challenge was weakened by a series of missed opportunities and an ineffective bowling attack.
Seasoned pacer Mohammed Siraj showed intensity and pace during his spells on the final day, but lacked sufficient support from the other bowlers.
The batting unit also failed to produce the resistance required after East’s massive first-innings total.
South’s selection decisions came under scrutiny, with in-form players such as Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal and Sai Kishore left out of the squad. The replacements were unable to make a decisive impact against a dominant East Zone side.
With the final ending in a draw, East Zone’s 372-run first-innings lead proved decisive and delivered their first Duleep Trophy title in 13 years.
For Kishan and his teammates, it was the reward for a commanding performance across all five days and a memorable return to the top of India’s premier domestic red-ball competition.
