Ishan Kishan creates history in Duleep Trophy final. Image Credits: X
As the Duleep Trophy 2026 final is underway, Ishan Kishan's East Zone is punishing the South Zone bowlers in all corners of the park at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on Day 2 of the elite tournament.
Abhimanyu Easwaran and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi started the domination with the bat before Shikhar Mohan took over with 85 off 120 balls. However, Kishan and Kumar Kushagra took the madness to a whole new level.
As the two wicketkeeper-batters from Jharkhand slammed their respective centuries, they shared a 230-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Although Kushagra was dismissed for 101, his skipper made it huge.
Ishan Kishan joins Anshuman Gaekwad in an elite Duleep Trophy final record
As Ishan Kishan blasted 270 runs off 334 balls, he became the seventh batter in the history of Duleep Trophy final to score 200 runs or more.
The 28-year-old has joined the likes of Raman Lamba, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Anshuman Gaekwad, Yusuf Pathan and Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi.
| Players | Score | Fixture |
| Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi | 200 | South Zone vs West Zone, 1967 |
| Anshuman Gaekwad | 216 | West Zone vs North Zone, 1987 |
| Raman Lamba | 320 | North Zone vs West Zone, 1987 |
| Yusuf Pathan | 210 | West Zone vs South Zone, 2010 |
| Cheteshwar Pujara | 256 | India Blue vs India Red, 2016 |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | 266 | West Zone vs South Zone, 2022 |
| Ishan Kishan | 270 | East Zone vs South Zone, 2026 |
Moreover, Kishan has become only the second captain to score a double century in a Duleep Trophy final, after Anshuman Gaekwad.
Also Read: Tilak Varma, Mohammed Siraj Hound Ishan Kishan With Verbal Exchange
Highest individual scores as captain in Duleep Trophy final
- 270 - Ishan Kishan (East Zone) vs South Zone, 2026*
- 216 - Anshuman Gaekwad (West Zone) vs North Zone, 1987
Ishan Kishan surpasses Dinesh Karthik, but falls just short of Arun Lal’s record
Among the batters with massive milestones in Duleep Trophy, Ishan Kishan broke Dinesh Karthik's 16-year-old record for the highest score by a designated wicketkeeper in a Duleep Trophy final.
Playing for South Zone, Karthik slammed 186 vs West Zone in 2010, which was the highest score by a wicketkeeper in a Duleep Trophy final.
Meanwhile, he remained barely short from breaking Arun Lal's record of 287 off 590 balls, the highest individual score for East Zone in the tournament final. The former Indian batter had accomplished the milestone against West Zone in 1986.
Ishan Kishan's rescuing, yet demolishing, act vs South Zone
Came in to bat at 147/3 in the 31st over on Day 1, Ishan Kishan batted superbly, taking the responsibility of being the captain.
He first stitched a crucial stand of 94 runs with Shikhar Mohan, before adding a massive 230 runs with Kumar Kushagra and then had a 140-run stand with Anukul Roy.
Not only did he punish the South Zone bowlers, especially against Shreyas Gopal and Mohammed Siraj, but he also played a controlled game, with a shot control of 89%.
However, as soon as he notched up 250 runs on the scoreboard, Kishan walked off the field, after showing some discomfort. Later, the physio came onto the field to assist him, before the wicketkeeper was taken off.
Later, he returned to bat and added 20 more crucial runs for his side, taking the team total past 700 runs.
Also Read: Hardik Pandya In! Dwayne Bravo Out! PBKS Star Picks IPL's GOAT All-Rounder
