Duleep Trophy: Kamboj’s 8-wicket haul gives India C a first innings lead and three points vs India B

Ruturaj Gaikwad-led India C drew its second-round match of the Duleep Trophy 2024 against India B at the Rural Development Trust B Stadium in Anantapur on Sunday.

India C’s Ansul Kamboj celebrates with teammates after dismissing India C’s Jagadeesan. | Photo Credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B/The Hindu

Medium-pacer Anshul Kamboj finished with figures of eight for 69 as India-C bowled out India-B for 332 and secured a 193-run first-innings lead on day four of the second-round Duleep Trophy match at the Rural Development Trust (RDT) Stadium B-ground here on Sunday.

India-B skipper and opener Abhimanyu Easwaran carried his bat with an unbeaten 157 (286b, 14x4, 1x6).

After Kamboj had Rahul Chahar bowled in the first over of the day, Easwaran brought up his 150 with back-to-back fours off pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak in the second over. He cut to the sweeper boundary, before inside-edging past the keeper. Later, Vyshak’s delivery hit him on his right leg and the physio was out, causing an injury scare, before he resumed batting.

Kamboj went on to rattle the stumps for Navdeep Saini, and have Mukesh Kumar caught by Sai Sudharsan at short leg.

India-B was awarded five penalty runs for wasting time by the fielding side (law 41.9.3).

Surprisingly, India-C skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad didn’t choose to have a crack at claiming ten wickets again by not enforcing the follow-on. Batting again, Ruturaj hit a 93-ball 62 (8x4, 1x6), before he was trapped plumb in front by leg-spinner Chahar.

After Sai Sudharsan fell early, missing his drive to get his off-stump uprooted by pacer Mukesh, Ruturaj and Rajat Patidar (42, 84b, 5x4) added 96 runs for the second-wicket partnership.

At one point, there were four boundaries in ten balls. Patidar essayed the cover drive once and the square drive twice for three fours in a Saini over, while Ruturaj cut left-arm spinner Sai Kishore for a four behind square.

Ruturaj also flicked aerially off Saini and pulled a short ball from Nitish Kumar Reddy for a four and a six to deep midwicket.

Musheer Khan, who rehearsed bowling in the nets at lunch, bowled in the second session and accounted for Patidar, who was dismissed leg before wicket. It was Musheer’s eighth first-class wicket in as many matches.

It’s been understood that India-C’s Sandeep Warrier, who walked off injured on Friday, has a hamstring injury and will be out for 2-3 weeks.

The scores (second round, day four): India-C (1st innings): 525.

India-B (1st innings): Abhimanyu Easwaran (not out) 157, N. Jagadeesan c Porel b Kamboj 70, Musheer Khan lbw b Kamboj 1, Sarfaraz Khan lbw b Kamboj 16, Rinku Singh c Ishan b Kamboj 6, Nitish Kumar Reddy b Kamboj 2, Washington Sundar c Sai Sudharsan b Vyshak 13, Sai Kishore lbw Markande 21, Rahul Chahar b Kamboj 18, Navdeep Saini b Kamboj 0, Mukesh Kumar c Sai Sudharsan b Kamboj 4; Extras (b-9, lb-5, w-1, nb-4, p-5): 24; Total (all out in 108 overs): 332.

Fall of wickets: 1-129, 2-133, 3-175, 4-190, 5-194, 6-237, 7-283, 8-309, 9-321, 10-332.

India-C bowling: Warrier 1.1-0-8-0, Vyshak 26-5-82-1, Kamboj 27.5-8-69-8, Markande 18-0-59-1, Suthar 33-4-85-0, Ishan 1-0-7-0, Sai Sudharsan 1-0-3-0.

India-C (2nd innings): B. Sai Sudharsan b Mukesh 11, Ruturaj Gaikwad lbw b Chahar 62, Rajat Patidar lbw b Musheer 42, Ishan Kishan b Chahar 1, B. Indrajith (not out) 5, Abishek Porel (not out) 4; Extras (lb-1, w-1, nb-1): 3; Total (for four wkts. in 37 overs): 128.

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-113, 3-118, 4-121.

India-B bowling: Mukesh 9-0-39-1, Saini 7-2-22-0, Sai Kishore 8-1-22-0, Nitish 4-0-20-0, Musheer 4-0-12-1, Chahar 4-0-8-2, Washington 1-0-4-0.