Duleep Trophy final: Ishan Kishan hundred caps East Zone's dominant Day 1

Ishan Kishan's unbeaten 111 powered East Zone to 385/4 against South Zone on Day 1 of the Duleep Trophy final in Chennai. With Kumar Kushagra also unbeaten on 63, East Zone ended the day firmly in control after South Zone's bowlers struggled to contain the batters.Duleep Trophy Final: Ishan Kishan 111* puts East Zone in control (PTI Photo)Brief Score: East Zone (385 for 4 in 79 overs) at Stumps on Day 1 in Chennai vs South Zone. Ishan Kishan (111 unbeaten), Kumar Kushagra (63 unbeaten).East Zone captain Ishan Kishan led from the front with an unbeaten 111 as his side took control of the Duleep Trophy final against South Zone at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. East Zone reached 385/4 in 79 overs after Kishan won the toss and opted to bat.Duleep Trophy Final: Day 1 HighlightsKishan was unbeaten on 111 off 135 balls at stumps, reaching his century in 122 deliveries with 12 fours and two sixes. Kumar Kushagra was giving him company on 63, with the pair adding 127 runs for the fifth wicket and taking the game away from South Zone in the final session. The hundred was Kishan's 10th in First-Class cricket and his second in the Duleep Trophy. His previous century in the competition came two years ago, when he scored 111 for India C in Anantapur. His other First-Class hundreds have come for Jharkhand, including his career-best 273 against Delhi in the 2016 Ranji Trophy.Kishan, who last played a Test for India in 2023, grew into his innings as the day progressed. After reaching three figures, he was particularly severe on the short ball, pulling and cutting whenever South Zone dropped it into his hitting zone. East Zone had already laid the foundation earlier in the day. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored a quick 44, while Abhimanyu Easwaran and Shikhar Mohan made half-centuries. Sooryavanshi and Easwaran added more than 100 for the opening wicket, with South Zone's defensive field allowing the pair to keep the scoreboard moving. The quicks also struggled to unsettle Sooryavanshi with the short ball before Milind finally ended his aggressive knock.Easwaran, playing on his 31st birthday, looked set for a big score before a mix-up with Mohan resulted in his run-out on 72.Mohan went on to make 85 but was eventually undone by the short ball. Another delivery from Milind cramped him for room and he chopped it on.Kishan and Kushagra then took charge. Kushagra was particularly aggressive against the spinners, hitting three of his six sixes off Vijay over wide long-on. Kishan took a more measured approach but continued to punish anything loose.South Zone's problems were compounded by their slow over rate. They managed only 79 overs despite the additional half-hour, leaving 11 overs unbowled. With the light fading, they also had to rely on spin from both ends for a considerable period.Siraj was expensive, conceding almost seven runs an over, while the rest of the attack struggled to sustain pressure.The pitch has already offered some turn and low bounce, which could become significant later in the match. But for now, East Zone are firmly in control, with Kishan and Kushagra unbeaten heading into Day 2.- EndsPublished By: Saurabh KumarPublished On: Sep 6, 2026 17:35 IST