Tilak, Kishan Ready To Adapt Amid Tight India Schedule

Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan have admitted that joining India’s T20I squad immediately after the five-day Duleep Trophy final will be challenging, but the two batters believe adapting to the demanding schedule is part of their job as professional cricketers.

The Duleep Trophy final between South Zone and East Zone begins in Chennai on Sunday and is scheduled to finish on September 10, leaving the players only two days to prepare for India’s T20I series against Afghanistan.

India will face Afghanistan in the opening T20I in New Delhi on September 13, making the transition from red-ball cricket to the shortest format particularly demanding.

Quick Switch From Red Ball To T20

Kishan, who is leading East Zone in the final and is also part of India’s T20I squad, said players must quickly adjust to the contrasting demands of the two formats.

“It is just about knowing what format you are playing. I know it gets difficult when you are playing Test match and suddenly you have to go and start hitting from ball one (in white ball format) and then suddenly you have to go back to your domestic team and you have to play a whole different role,” Kishan said.

Tilak, South Zone captain and India’s T20I vice-captain, agreed that the turnaround would not be easy.

“Yes, it will be slightly challenging…playing five days here (Duleep Trophy) and again joining the (India) team. From here we are going to Delhi, so, there will be like a two day break. We can practise there. It will be slightly challenging,” he said.

Both players, however, believe their experience of handling back-to-back domestic and international commitments will help them make the transition.

“We have played enough domestic games, we have played in every condition, so we can adjust. We know how to change our mindsets and maintain our body with good fluids and everything,” Kishan said.

“We have played before in domestic as well as international back-to-back games, so we are quite used to it.”

‘Professionals Must Adapt’

Kishan said there was little value in making excuses about the demanding schedule, particularly when the players already know what lies ahead.

“I feel as professionals it is our job to adapt. We cannot come up with excuses after knowing this is your routine for the next few days,” he said.

He acknowledged that his role would change immediately after the Duleep final but felt the available preparation time would be sufficient.

“But at the same time be aware and be just mindful of what is going to happen and I will be playing T20I after this. So, my job will be different. But still I feel we are getting two days of practice before the first game against Afghanistan. So, it will be more than enough I feel,” Kishan added.

Tilak had expressed his desire to play in the Duleep Trophy final after South Zone’s semifinal victory and will now have to balance his domestic responsibilities with his role in India’s T20I setup.

Padikkal Boosts South Batting

South Zone will also have the advantage of adding in-form Devdutt Padikkal to their batting line-up.

Padikkal enjoyed an outstanding Test series in Sri Lanka, scoring 328 runs across two matches with two centuries, and Tilak believes his inclusion will significantly strengthen South’s batting.

“Yeah, it will be a big boost for us. The kind of form he (Padikkal) is in, it will be really helpful for us and he can share his experience with the players. We have got quite a few young guys on our side and it will be really helpful,” Tilak said.

He confirmed that Padikkal will bat at No. 3 for South Zone.

“Padikkal will be batting at number 3 and his coming into the side will strengthen our batting line-up, especially with the kind of form we have seen from Padikkal in the last 2 or 3 games. He has done really well. It will be a big boost for us.”

Kishan Backs Teenage Sensation

East Zone, meanwhile, will look towards 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for another strong contribution at the top of the order.

The Duleep Trophy final will be Sooryavanshi’s first five-day representative match. He has previously played four-day cricket at the Under-19, Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy levels.

Kishan, however, has been impressed by the teenager’s maturity and believes the format change should not be a major concern.

“I feel Vaibhav is very smart for a 15-year-old boy. He knows what he is doing, he has been in this situation and I have heard him speaking to other players as well,” Kishan said.

“There is no doubt if he has played 4 day or 3 day cricket earlier and this is a 5-day game, I think you just need to get runs out of him and that is what he is willing to do.”

Sooryavanshi played a crucial role in East Zone’s semifinal win over Central Zone, scoring 92 and 40 while helping his side navigate difficult batting conditions.

“He played a very crucial role in the previous match where the wicket was not that good but he played those extra shots which helped us get that opening partnership,” Kishan said.

The Duleep Trophy final will therefore serve as an important red-ball assignment for several India-bound players, even as Tilak and Kishan prepare for the immediate challenge of switching formats and joining the national T20I setup in Delhi.