File photo of Ishan Kishan.© X (Twitter)
Ishan Kishan marked his First-Class return after well over a year with a wonderful hundred, the backbone of India C's day one total of 357 for five against India B in the Duleep Trophy match in Anantpur on Thursday. Kishan's 111 (126b, 14x4, 3x6) lifted India C from a slightly wobbly 97 two after they lost Rajat Patidar (40) and B Sai Sudharsan (43) in quick succession. The innings also underlined the fitness of the 26-year-old, who was originally in India D squad, as he missed the first round of Duleep Trophy with a groin injury.
Sanju Samson was drafted in as Kishan's replacement in India D squad, necessitating the redrafting of the former into India C.
Cutting back to the match, India C's situation was compounded by skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad's return to the hut with an ankle niggle after facing just two balls.
However, any major concern over Gaikwad's fitness was allayed when he came out to bat after Kishan's dismissal, making an unbeaten 46 (50b, 7x4, 2x6) to guard the crease along with Manav Suthar (8 batting).
But the day belonged to Kishan, who added another solid brick to his comeback trial into red-ball cricket.
The left-hander had made a hundred in Jharkhand's opening round win over Madhya Pradesh in the recently concluded Buchi Babu Invitational tournament in Tamil Nadu.
That game in Coimbatore was his first red-ball match after the Test against the West Indies at Port of Spain in July 2023, and he carried on with his redemption act here as well.
He had Baba Indrajith (78, 136b, 9x4) for the company as the pair milked 189 runs for the third wicket stand to take India C to a commanding position.
Indrajith also had a slice of fortune as the Tamil Nadu batter had edged pacer Navdeep Saini to Sarfaraz Khan at slips just before lunch, and he walked off.
But Indrajith was called back to resume batting as Saini had overstepped during that delivery.
However, all this drama at the other end did not ruffle Kishan as he continued to dismantle India B bowlers.
Kishan played late and close to his body to nip the early movement and it was evidenced in the 10 boundaries he got across square and fine leg regions.
He had to make that technical adjustment as spinners – R Sai Kishore and Rahul Chahar – bowled just 17 overs between them this day.
Occasionally, power overshadowed his general finesse on the day as well, as whenever the opportunity presented itself, the left-hander was not hesitant to flex his muscles.
He hammered Saini for two sixes in the fine leg region and once lifted Mukesh Kumar over mid-wicket for maximums.
Eventually, he was bowled by pacer Mukesh, the most successful India bowler with three wickets, but he has already placed India C in a position of strength.
After Kishan's departure, India C received a further move-on as Gaikwad came back and added some quick runs to push India B against the wall.
Brief score: India C: 357/5 in 79 overs (Ishan Kishan 111, Baba Indrajith 78, Ruturaj Gaikwad 46 batting; Mukesh Kumar 3/76) vs India B.