Kishan: Switching formats is what is fun about the game

For modern cricketers, switching between formats is often described as a mechanical adjustment—a tweak of technique, a shift in mindset, a minor recalibration. But following East Zone’s emphatic victory by an innings and 210 runs over North East Zone in the Duleep Trophy, Ishan Kishan laid bare the raw, chaotic reality of flipping the switch from high-octane white-ball cricket to the rigorous mental grind of the red ball. Having captained East Zone to a dominant win in Bengaluru, the 28-year-old wicketkeeper-batter reflected on the hidden struggles of navigating constant format transitions. Between November 2025 and August 2026, Kishan featured in 59 matches across international and domestic white-ball fixtures, including the IPL, without a single first-class appearance in between. Returning to red-ball cricket after a nine-month hiatus was never going to be seamless. "Situations will get tricky," Kishan noted candidly. "It will not be easy for us as players to just move around from white ball to red ball, red ball to white ball; change of format, change of gameplay, but that is the fun part about this game." That friction was most apparent in his own dismissal during East Zone’s solitary innings. Attempting to guide a wide ball behind point, Kishan was caught behind for just 4—a shot he admitted was pure muscle memory from months of white-ball instinct overriding first-class discipline. "I was in the middle of the shot, and I was like, 'what the heck was I trying to do!'" he admitted with characteristic honesty. "Sometimes when you think about something that you don't want to do, you end up doing it. I was just attracting those thoughts." Despite the rustiness, Kishan remains steadfast in his affection for the longest format, even if critics remain skeptical given his limited Test exposure since July 2023. "I enjoy red-ball cricket very much. I think people don't believe me when I say that," he smiled. "It's easier to bat on flat tracks, but the competition which goes around in Test matches is some different-level thing." On the field, East Zone was ruthless. After piling up 467 runs, they skittled North East Zone for 111 in their first innings. Enforcing the follow-on, East Zone’s bowling attack—led by spinner Anukul Roy’s five-wicket haul—dismissed the opposition for 146 in 50 overs on a pitch that offered turn but little bounce. Yet, true to his high standards, Kishan refused to let victory mask areas for improvement. Looking ahead to East Zone’s semi-final clash against Central Zone starting on August 30, the skipper emphasized that the team’s energy levels must step up. "We played after a very long time, and I feel the energy was not up to the mark," Kishan said. "When we play the next match, we'll have to be on our toes. We'll have to fight for each and every wicket." Kishan’s reflections serve as a poignant reminder that behind the glamour of modern cricket lies a relentless mental tug-of-war. The sport may appear simple from the outside, but as Kishan proved in Bengaluru, mastering its contradictions is where the real beauty lives.