Fourteen wickets fell as the quicker bowlers dominated proceedings on the first day of the Duleep Trophy match between India C and India D in Anantapur. After asked to bat first on a greenish pitch, India D posted 164. Axar Patel top-scored with 86. India C, in response, ended the day at 91/4, with Abishek Porel (32) and Baba Indrajith (15) remaining unbeaten at stumps.
It was overcast in the morning when the match began, with enough grass and moisture on the wicket for the bowlers to exploit, and India C’s seamers capitalised effectively. Young Anshul Kamboj made an immediate impact, forcing Atharva Taide into a mistimed hook shot in the very first over. As India D skipper Shreyas Iyer walked in, the crowd erupted with cheers.
With several contenders vying for a middle-order spot in the upcoming Bangladesh series, Iyer was among those under pressure to impress. However, Vijaykumar Vyshak, bowling tight lines, squared Iyer up beautifully and dismissed him for nine. In the same over, Devdutt Padikkal was removed, after facing only three deliveries, offering a straightforward catch at short cover. Yash Dubey looked comfortable during his brief innings of 10 but he too fell soon, as Kamboj reduced India D to a precarious 23/4.
Himanshu Chauhan replaced Kamboj and brought an end to Ricky Bhui’s resistance at the crease. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad rotated his bowlers well and placed fielders impeccably as India C’s seamers dominated the first hour. Their probing deliveries kept the batters on edge, forcing them to play at almost everything. However, once the pitch settled down, KS Bharat and Axar combined to stabilise the innings. They handled the seamers adeptly, but just as Bharat seemed set for a significant score, he was outfoxed by Manav Suthar.
Things went from bad to worse for India D when a miscommunication between Saransh Jain and Axar resulted in the former’s dismissal just before lunch. After the interval, India D lost their eighth wicket when Harshit Rana departed at 76/8, leaving them in a dire situation. With only two wickets remaining, Axar launched a counterattack. His knock of 86, supported by Arshdeep Singh at the other end, brought much-needed resistance for India D. The pair added 84 runs, with Axar contributing 66 in that partnership. Suthar eventually ended Axar’s defiant innings with a stunning catch on the boundary line.
In the post-lunch session, India C’s bowlers struggled with their lines and lengths. The seamers failed to target the stumps consistently, and the spinners were either too full or too short in their approach against Axar.
After posting a modest total, India D needed early breakthroughs to apply pressure on India C, and Rana delivered. The right-arm seamer made excellent use of the new ball, dismissing openers Gaikwad and B Sai Sudharsan in quick succession. Arshdeep struggled in his initial spell but bounced back with an improved second stint.
Aryan Juyal and Rajat Patidar then joined forces, stabilising the innings with solid defence and smart strike rotation. However, just as the partnership looked promising, Juyal fell to Axar. Patidar soon followed, misjudging a delivery from Axar and leaving India C reeling at 43/4.
India C’s hopes rested on the last recognised batting pair of Indrajith and Porel. The duo held their ground, ensuring no further wickets fell by stumps. Porel played aggressively, surviving a close call in Saransh’s first over. Indrajith provided steady support, guiding India C to a stable position by the end of the day.