‘Our job is to adapt’ – Ishan Kishan on format switching ahead of Duleep Trophy final and Afghanistan T20Is

Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma, captaining East Zone and South Zone respectively in the Duleep Trophy final, addressed media on the eve of the match and confirmed their participation in the tournament. The Duleep Trophy final is scheduled to take place in Chennai from September 6 to 10, with East Zone facing South Zone. Both players are also selected for India’s three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, which begins September 13 in Delhi, creating a tight turnaround of just three days between the domestic final and international duty.

The challenge of switching between formats in such a compressed timeframe formed the core of their media interaction. Kishan and Varma will need to transition from red-ball cricket to the shortest format within days, a scenario that tests a cricketer’s adaptability and mental approach to the game.

“I don’t know. How do I tell you? It’s just about knowing what format you are playing. Sometimes it gets difficult when you are playing a Test match and suddenly you have to go and start hitting from ball one and suddenly you have to go back to your domestic team and you have to play a whole different role. But at the same time, I feel, as professionals it’s our job to adapt, we cannot be coming up with excuses after knowing this is like your routine for next few days,” said Kishan as quoted by Cricinfo.

“So, it is better to not be in a situation where we have to make excuses but at the same time be aware and be just mindful of what is going to happen and I will be playing T20 after this. So my job will be different [in T20Is], but still I feel we are getting two days of practice before the Afghanistan first game, so it will be more than enough, I feel,” he added.

Format switching within days of the Duleep Trophy final

Tilak Varma drew on his recent experience across multiple formats to address the same challenge. Having played all three formats, including List A matches for India A in Sri Lanka over the past four months, Varma has developed a rhythm of switching between different cricket styles. His exposure to varied conditions and match situations has equipped him with the tools to transition seamlessly between formats.

“We have played enough domestic games, we have played in every condition, so we can adjust to the conditions. But it will be slightly challenging playing five days here and again joining the [T20I] team. But from here we are going to Delhi, there will be two days of break, so we can practice there and we have enough time as well, but it will be slightly challenging. We know how to change our mindsets and maintain our body with good fluids and everything, so we have played back-to-back games before in the domestic as well and international, so we are quite used to it,” said Varma.

Mohammed Shami’s domestic commitment and hunger

Mohammed Shami’s presence in the East Zone squad added another dimension to the discussion around format switching and domestic cricket. Shami last played for India in the Champions Trophy in 2025 and is not being considered fit enough for Test cricket, but continues to compete in domestic cricket. The Duleep Trophy final will mark Shami’s 100th first-class game, a milestone that underscores his enduring commitment to domestic cricket despite his absence from the national team.

“I feel age is just a number. If he is working hard it doesn’t matter – he has been doing so well. Having him in our team, it gives us a bit of more confidence, when you have such bowlers in your team who can get you wickets and especially looking at Shami bhai this season, his intensity, his energy has been very different,” said Kishan.

“It has been three years since that [2023] World Cup [when he was in excellent form]; it is hard when you are not regularly playing for Indian team and to again have that same kind of motivation for your domestic games, it is tough. But I feel I see that hunger in him because who better than me can judge about hunger right now? I think he has that hunger and that motivation right now. He wants to do that comeback, he wants to be part of Indian squad again and which you can see in him, when he is trying to help me also when I’m leading the side… he is trying to come to me, give me options of what you can do right now,” he added.