After a shaky start, with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad retiring hurt after just two deliveries, India C staged a remarkable recovery by the end of the opening day of their Duleep Trophy game against India B. Ishan Kishan led the charge with a brilliant knock of 111, while Baba Indrajith provided solid support with a well-made 78. Gaikwad returned to the crease later in the day, remaining unbeaten on 46, alongside Manav Suthar. India C closed the day’s play in a strong position at 357/5.
Rajat Patidar joined Sai Sudharsan at the crease after Gaikwad had to leave the field early in his innings. India B’s bowlers sensed an opportunity to capitalise on Gaikwad’s departure, but Sudharsan had other plans. The left-hand batter counterattacked swiftly, hitting four boundaries in his first 19 runs, setting the tone for his aggressive approach. Despite the best efforts of Mukesh Kumar and Navdeep Saini, the duo of Sudharsan and Patidar dominated the first hour, frustrating the bowlers. Both batters edged toward their half-centuries, applying pressure on the fielding side. However, Saini finally broke the stand, delivering a beauty to bowl Patidar for 40 and leave India C at 96/1.
Mukeshthen dismissed the well-settled Sudharsan for a composed 43. Just as India B seemed to claw their way back into the contest, Kishan walked in to join Indrajith at the crease. The aggressive wicketkeeper-batter wasted no time, smashing four boundaries in his first 15 balls, racing to 20 and immediately putting India B back on the defensive. Despite the two quick wickets, India C remained in control at lunch, posting 121/2.
Post-lunch, the partnership between Kishan and Indrajith grew steadily as India C neared the 150-run mark. India B’s fielding faltered at crucial moments, missing two chances to dismiss Kishan in consecutive overs. The first came from Nitish Kumar Reddy, who leaped to prevent a six but couldn’t hold on to the ball. The second was a misjudged running catch by Mukesh. These missed opportunities proved costly, as Kishan soon brought up his fifty, looking increasingly dangerous, with Indrajith providing solid support at the other end.
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After dominating the first session, India D were thwarted by the Mumbai duo of Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian, as India A closed day one of their Duleep Trophy match at 288/8.
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After reaching his half-century, Kishan’s scoring rate surged, quickly propelling him into the 70s with a strike rate of over 100. His aggressive approach put India C firmly in control as runs flowed freely. The India B bowlers struggled to break the partnership, with both Kishan and Indrajith making life difficult for them. As Kishan approached the 90s, India C crossed the 250-run mark, and soon after, he marked his return to first-class cricket in style with a well-deserved century. The partnership between Kishan and Baba had swelled to 174, putting India C in a commanding position.
Kishan’s impactful innings came to an end soon after he reached his century, thanks to a sharp delivery from Mukesh. His dismissal brought Gaikwad back to the crease, which was a much-needed boost for India C. Indrajith, who had been playing a gritty knock, also departed just before the close of play, falling to a well-executed ball by Rahul Chahar.
Brief Scores : India C 357/5 ( Ishan Kishan 111, Baba Indrajith 78, Ruturaj Gaikwad 46*, Mukesh Kumar 3/76) vs India B
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