In September last year, Ishan Kishan was drafted into the India-C squad in the eleventh hour before the second round of the Duleep Trophy, and blazed his way to a first-class hundred against India-B in front of the National selectors in Anantapur.
He took on a bowling attack that consisted of Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Sai Kishore, and Rahul Chahar, was dropped at least twice, and was eventually bowled as he charged at Mukesh Kumar and missed the ball.
On Wednesday, though, he was no powerhouse strokemaker, but a stolid accumulator at the crease. With no alarmed haste, no chances offered, he stuck up an unbeaten 125 (183b, 14×4, 2×6) as a dutiful skipper for Jharkhand to recover from the fall of quick wickets and end day one of the first-round Elite-A Ranji Trophy match versus Tamil Nadu on 307 for six at the SNR College cricket ground here.
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“The reckless rush of youth has spent itself,” Ishan said after the day’s play.
His innings was assuredly kinetic. He kept the scoreboard ticking with singles, even stealing some quick doubles. His cut shot brought him six fours, and when he was tested with even shorter balls from debutant pacer R.S. Ambrish, he pulled one for a six to deep square leg and another for a four to fine leg. He danced down the track twice, for a midwicket six off left-arm spinner D.T. Chandrasekar and a four to wide long on off debutant off-spinner J. Hemchudeshan.
He was involved in an unbeaten 150-run seventh-wicket partnership with Sahil Raj, who brought up his maiden first-class fifty (64 batting, 105b, 6×4, 2×6). Towards the end of the day, Sahil remarkably slog-swept for a six each off Hemchudeshan and Chandrasekar.
For Tamil Nadu, Gurjapneet Singh was the pick of the bowlers with three for 51.
Published on Oct 15, 2025
