Manav Suthar’s late incursions with a five-wicket haul ensured India C was not batted out of its Duleep Trophy first-round fixture against India D at the Rural Development Trust Stadium in Anantapur on Friday.
The left-arm orthodox claimed four wickets in his final five overs of the day to send India D tail spinning from 186 for four to 203 for eight.
His most decisive breakthrough was Ricky Bhui, whom he trapped leg-before three deliveries after getting hoicked for a six over long on.
Axar Patel held through till Stumps on the second day with India D parked at 206 for eight, 202 runs ahead.
RELATED: Axar Patel’s growth as assured batter adds further stock for Indian starting berth
Before Suthar turned the plot, fifties from Shreyas Iyer (54, 44b, 9x4, 1x6) and Devdutt Padikkal (56, 70b, 8x4) set India D’s counter in motion. Shreyas set the tone, taking the aerial route down the ground against Vyshak Vijaykumar, after openers Atharva Taide and Yash Dubey fell early.
Padikkal, meanwhile, was content in exploiting the absence of a second slip, caressing deliveries in the fourth-stump channel through the gap between first slip and gully, first off Anshul Kamboj and then Vyshak.
The pair was equally efficient in latching on to width, against Himanshu Chauhan in particular, who strayed wide the most among the three India C pacers.
It turned out a case of one shot too many when Shreyas holed out to his counterpart Ruturaj Gaikwad at long-off, who had stationed himself expecting the lofted shot.
Padikkal held fort with Bhui, through a 73-run partnership but Suthar wrapped the southpaw on the glove for a soft dismissal at slip to open the door for India C.
File photo: Before Suthar turned the plot, fifties from Shreyas Iyer (in picture) Shreyas set the tone of counterattack, taking the aerial route down the ground against Vyshak Vijaykumar, after openers Atharva Taide and Yash Dubey fell early. | Photo Credit: Periasamy M/ The Hindu.
In the morning’s battle of attrition, Baba Indrajith (72, 149b, 9x4) singlehandedly took on the India D seamers and prevailed, pulling his side into a slender four-run lead after it was 109 for eight at one point.
Harshit Rana trapped Abishek Porel leg-before in the second over of the day.
Suthar spent the majority of his 14 deliveries on the crease, trying to shake off an Arshdeep Singh bouncer that struck his helmet. He was eventually caught at second slip, fending away at another bouncer from Harshit.
Indrajith’s restraint, however, was not cracked; he trusted his front-foot defence and Kamboj’s company to blunt the pace attack. Consequently, the first 15 overs yielded just 26 runs for India C at the expense of four wickets.
ALSO READ: India C vs India D, Duleep Trophy 2024 highlights
It was the re-introduction of Axar that Indrajith shifted gears, lofting over mid off against the orthodox spinner. He flaunted his inventiveness too, ramping Aditya Thakare over the keeper two overs later.
Indrajith bowed out only after he had lofted Axar inside-out over covers and then again through mid-wicket, boosting his team’s morale to not concede a first-innings deficit, even by the barest of margins.
Comments
SHARE