Ishan Kishan Tilak Varma county cricket

Two India batters – Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma – made their maiden county appearances in the latest round of the County Championship: here's how they fared.

Ishan Kishan (Nottinghamshire)

87 off 98 (12 fours, one six) v Yorkshire

Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan might be known more for his white-ball exploits, but his first-class career has had its big moments too. He debuted as a 16-year-old for Jharkhand over a decade ago, and averaged 57 with three centuries in the 2016/17 Ranji Trophy. That season, Kishan smashed 273 from No.6 against Delhi (following on, Rishabh Pant cracked a 48-ball century).

His Test career, though, has been limited to just two appearances so far. Overall, he averages 38.41 from 99 first-class innings, switching between opening and middle-order roles.

Also read: 'I had travel fatigue, but no one understood' - Kishan opens up on break from cricket

Representing Nottinghamshire for his first-ever county stint, the 26-year-old Kishan delivered from the get go. Coming in at No.6, he scored a brisk 87 off 98, hitting 12 fours and one six. He was handed a reprieve on 44, and nearly doubled that score, before being dismissed by Dom Bess. If he got there, it would have been his first first-class century outside India, and ninth overall.

Match 67, Nottinghamshire vs Yorkshire

Recent
Nottinghamshire vs Yorkshire | County Championship, 2025 | Match 67
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Sunday, June 22nd, 2025 10:00am (UTC:+0000)
NOT Nottinghamshire
NOT Nottinghamshire
487
(132.4) RR: 3.67
148/1 dec
(48.0) RR: 3.08

    vs

    YOR Yorkshire
    YOR Yorkshire
    510
    (185.4) RR: 2.75

      Kishan capped off the appearance with a first-ball catch off Mohammad Abbas, and a revenge stumping of Bess.

      Part of the recent India A tour of England, and reinstated into India's central contract list after being left out of the previous cycle, Kishan would be hoping his two-game stint in the UK helps kickstart a route back into the Indian team. Currently, though, the wicketkeeping spot seems to be jammed with other options.

      Tilak Varma (Hampshire)

      100 off 241 (11 fours, three sixes) v Essex

      Much like Kishan, two U19 batches senior to him, Tilak, too, first played first-class cricket in his teens. Pigeonholed early as a white-ball sensation, Tilak has played only 19 first-class matches in seven years – mostly due to his short-format appearances – but has stacked up a formidable record, even being named Hyderabad Ranji captain.

      In a bid to expand his red-ball resume, the 22-year-old signed up for a four-match stint with Hampshire, producing results straightaway. Handed the No.4 spot against Essex, he produced a century on debut, exhibiting an old-fashioned doggedness quite opposite to his well-known T20 adventurism. He did bring out the reverse sweep later on – one which fetched him a six – hitting two more alongside 11 fours.

      Match 65, Essex vs Hampshire

      Recent
      Essex vs Hampshire | County Championship, 2025 | Match 65
      County Ground, New Writtle Street, Chelmsford
      Sunday, June 22nd, 2025 10:00am (UTC:+0000)
      ESS Essex
      ESS Essex
      296
      (98.1) RR: 3.02
      358/6
      (119.0) RR: 3.01

        vs

        HAM Hampshire
        HAM Hampshire
        453
        (138.1) RR: 3.28

          Tilak is a prominent member of India's T20I setup, and currently averages 49.93, the second-most in the format for anyone who has played at least 20 innings. But his first-class career is slowly shaping up too: he now averages 52.16 from 29 innings, with six hundreds and four fifties. If groomed well, India might find themselves with another all-format star.

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