The East Zone have won the Duleep Trophy after 13 years. The final against South Zone was played in Chennai. The match ended in a draw. East Zone won the title because they had a huge first-innings lead.
East Zone scored 708 runs in their first innings. South Zone were bowled out for 336. That gave East Zone a lead of 372 runs. In their second innings, East Zone reached 388 for 7. Their overall lead grew to 760 runs. The match ended in a draw, but the trophy went to East Zone.
Mohammad Kounain Quraishi was one of the stars for East Zone. He scored an unbeaten 116. It was his first century in first-class cricket. He has played only two first-class matches. He added 150 runs for the seventh wicket with Anukul Roy. Roy scored 64. Quraishi reached his century in 179 balls. He hit a brace off left-arm pacer CV Milind.
East Zone started the final day on 212 for 5. Their batsmen were rarely troubled. South Zone’s bowlers lacked direction. Mohammed Siraj bowled with pace and intensity for a while. But he did not get much support from the other end. South Zone also left out some in-form players. Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, and Sai Kishore were not picked. Their replacements could not make an impact.
Ishan Kishan led East Zone from the front. He scored 270 in the first innings. He showed he is ready for red-ball cricket. Mohammed Shami played his 100th first-class match. He bowled with a lot of spirit. Kumar Kushagra scored his sixth first-class hundred. Shikhar Mohan made a classy fifty. Kishan also led the team well on the field.
Here are the Top 5 Batsmen from Duleep Trophy 2026:
Top 5 Batsmen from Duleep Trophy 2026
1. Ishan Kishan – The Record-Breaking Captain
Ishan Kishan was the biggest star of the Duleep Trophy 2026. He led the East Zone from the front and finished as the highest run scorer by a huge margin. He played 3 matches and 5 innings. He scored 409 runs at an average of 102.25. His highest score was a massive 270. That knock came in the final against South Zone at Chepauk in Chennai. He batted for 522 minutes and faced 334 balls. He hit 30 fours and 7 sixes and scored 80 in the second innings. His match aggregate of 350 runs was the highest ever in a Duleep Trophy match. His unbeaten run as captain in first-class cricket reached 16 matches.
2. Tilak Varma – The Unbeaten Run Machine
Tilak Varma was the South Zone captain and the only batsman who came close to matching Ishan Kishan. He played 2 matches and 3 innings. He scored 266 runs at an unbelievable average of 266.00. He was dismissed only once in the whole tournament. His scores were 116 not out, 51 not out and 99. That shows his amazing consistency and ability to stay at the crease. His 99 in the final came off 211 deliveries. He was named Player of the Series for his efforts. After the tournament he spoke about his dream to play Test cricket for India. He said red ball cricket is his biggest goal and his favourite format.
3. Kumar Kushagra – The Young Wicketkeeper Batter
Kumar Kushagra is a 21-year-old wicketkeeper batter from Jharkhand. He played for East Zone and was one of the most promising young talents in the Duleep Trophy 2026. He played 3 matches and 5 innings. He scored 224 runs at an average of 44.80. His highest score was 101. He scored a half century and a century in the final against South Zone. His counterattacking style in the lower middle order was very useful. His 101 in the first innings helped East Zone post a huge total of 708. That total batted South Zone out of the game.
4. Sudip Gharami – The Resilient Anchor
Sudip Gharami was another important player in East Zone’s strong campaign. He gave stability to the middle order. He played 3 matches and 5 innings. He scored 193 runs at an average of 38.60. His highest score was 146. That knock came in the quarter final against North East Zone. It was a very important innings for his team. East Zone won that match by an innings and 210 runs. He showed patience and concentration.
5. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi – The Prodigy Who Made History
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a 15-year-old sensation. He had already made a name in white ball cricket. In the Duleep Trophy 2026, he proved he can also play red ball cricket. He played 3 matches and 5 innings. He scored 192 runs at an average of 38.40. His highest score was 92. That 92 came off 81 balls in the semi-final against Central Zone. It made him the youngest batter in Duleep Trophy history to score a half century. He also became the youngest player to lead a side in the tournament when he was a stand-in captain for Ishan Kishan. He scored at a strike rate of over 104. He finished with a brisk 44 in the final.
FAQs
Q. Who was the top batsman in the Duleep Trophy 2026?
A. Ishan Kishan was the top batsman with 409 runs.
Q. How many runs did Tilak Varma score?
A. Tilak Varma scored 266 runs at an average of 266.
Q. How many runs did Kumar Kushagra score?
A. Kumar Kushagra scored 224 runs in the tournament.
Q. How many runs did Vaibhav Sooryavanshi score?
A. Sooryavanshi scored 192 runs in the Duleep Trophy 2026.
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