Tilak Verma on the verge of ton, impressive with Ishan Kishan 87

As the Indian team is taking little steps towards victory at Leeds, against England in the first Test, two other players — Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma are making their presence felt in the County Championships division 1. Both the batters were drafted straight into the playing XIs, by their respective teams — Kishan in Nottinghamshire and Tilak in Hampshire — and have been mighty impressive.

Ishan Kishan’s 87 for Nottinghamshire

On the second day of the clash, Ishan Kishan, in his County debut, score a valuable 87 from 98 deliveries while batting at No. 6. These runs came at a rapid pace, and at a time when his side was reduced to 253/5. He went on to add 71 valuable runs with Liam Patterson-White, giving an account of what he can do in this format — against a strong Yorkshire line-up, that also had Kiwi pace bowler William O’ Rourke in their ranks.

Kishan, who has signed a contract with the Notts for only two matches, swung into action soon after his arrival into the country. He is trying to break back into the Indian setup, and prepping for the all-important domestic season, scheduled to start in September.

Tilak Varma Close to Maiden 100

On the other hand, Tilak Varma is just two runs away from his maiden hundred in England, in County Championships. Turning up for Hampshire, against Essex, he piled on 98 not out in 234 deliveries, that included 11 fours and 3 sixes. For company he has with him Liam Dawson, who has scored 79 not out. Tilak’s team is 293/4, just three runs away from Essex’s total of 296.

That said, the southpaw will play three more games for the club, which gives him a solid chance to make an impact on the selectors, and get a chance in the Indian Test side. For the record, he has scored 1204 runs in 18 matches in FC, at an average of 50, including five tons.