Duleep Trophy Final – Day One: East Zone Set Up a Massive First‑Innings Total

Under a clear Chennai sky, the final of the 2026 Duleep Trophy got off to a lively start at the historic M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. Both captains had hinted that the surface would be a dream for batters, and the first session proved them right – there was barely a whisper of lateral movement, only enough bounce to keep the bowlers honest.

East Zone won the toss and sent their openers, Abhimanyu Easwaran and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, out to the middle. The duo made quick work of the opening overs, turning a bland start into a crisp 89‑ball partnership that sprinted past the century mark. Easwaran, usually the steadier of the pair, surprised everyone by taking on the off‑spinner Tripurana Vijay with a few daring drives and even a couple of sixes. Sooryavanshi, on the other hand, seemed to have dialed back his natural flair, opting to punch the ball hard rather than go for aerial fireworks – though he did dispatch a few boundaries off Mohammed Siraj.

Siraj’s spell, unfortunately for South Zone, was a little shaky. The fast bowler leaked 41 runs in his opening five overs and looked a touch out of rhythm. Field placements didn’t help either – five fielders were stationed on the boundary in the first hour, leaving a lot of room for the West‑zone‑born pair to carve into the field.

The momentum shifted briefly when South Zone snagged two wickets before tea. Sooryavanshi fell to CV Milind’s short‑ball, and shortly after, Easwaran was left stranded after a bizarre mix‑up with his partner. Yet the damage was done – East Zone had already built a platform that looked hard to dismantle.

After the break, South Zone tried to bite back with short‑ball tactics. Shikhar Mohan, brought in for Virat Singh, initially played cautiously before unleashing a flurry of boundaries, even hitting a quick‑fire hat‑trick of fours off Vijay. He came close to a fifty but was undone by an inside‑edge off a bouncer that ricocheted onto his stumps just before tea.

Back in the East Zone camp, captain Ishan Kishan, already cruising at 111 not out off 135 balls (14 fours, 1 six), kept the scoreboard ticking. He seemed unfazed by the occasional short‑ball barrage, and when a slip by the fielders allowed a single, he turned it into a neat four that nudged him past the hundred‑run mark. Kumar Kushagra, another young gun, added a handy 63, anchoring himself with a clean‑cut hook off Siraj and a quick‑fire sweep against Vijay.

By the close of play, East Zone stood at a solid 385 for four, with Kishan and Kushagra still at the crease, poised to stretch the lead even further. The day’s innings was a blend of disciplined batting, opportunistic stroke‑play, and a few fielding lapses that helped the hosts edge closer to an imposing total.

South Zone, meanwhile, will have to regroup quickly. With Siraj still searching for rhythm and the bowlers stretched thin, they’ll need a breakthrough early on the second day if they hope to keep the match within reach.