The signal for the DRS was largely a prayer, at best a hope. There was no stopping the inevitable. Prasidh Krishna had indeed got his man, and India-A the Duleep Trophy.
B. Sai Sudharsan’s splendid hundred would have been a match-saving innings on most days. A limping B. Indrajith’s brave decision to come out to bat at No. 10 deserved a better result, but India-C had no answer to the fiery spell from Prasidh.
The India seamer – in only his second game after returning from injury – took the last three wickets to power his team to a 132-run victory when it looked India-C could salvage a draw.
That draw would have made India-C the champion. With Sai Sudharsan (111, 206b, 12×4), battling it out against a strong, varied bowling attack on a challenging wicket, it had looked Ruturaj Gaikwad’s men would have pulled it off, with just a few overs to bat out.
But Sai Sudharsan, while trying to get a single off the last ball of the over, top-edged to fine-leg, where a running Tanush Kotian held his nerve and the ball.
Out came the injured Indrajith, but he lasted only two balls before falling to a fine diving catch at leg-slip by Tilak Varma.
He then had Anshul Kamboj lbw with a ball that came in sharply and kept low. The umpire’s decision was promptly reviewed but that only delayed India-A’s celebrations a bit.
Earlier, India-A resumed its second innings at 270 for six, and declared two overs later at 286 for eight.
Set a target of 350, India-C sprang a surprise by sending in Vyshak Vijaykumar to open alongside Ruturaj. The Karnataka seamer looked comfortable enough in his new role, and raised 36 for the first wicket. But his decision to go for a single where there was none proved costly: substitute fielder Shaik Rasheed hit the stumps directly from mid-on.
Ruturaj (44, 93b, 5×4) was joined by Sai Sudharshan and the duo put on 77 for the second wicket. The captain was caught behind off the impressive seamer Aaqib Khan. Then the spinners Kotian and Shams Mulani took over, before the return of Prasidh.
The scores:
India-A — 1st Innings: 297.
India-C — 1st Innings: 234.
India-A — 2nd Innings: Pratham Singh c Ruturaj b Gaurav 11, Mayank Agarwal b Kamboj 34, Tilak Varma c Ruturaj b Kamboj 19, Riyan Parag c Ruturaj b Gaurav 73, Shashwat Rawat b Suthar 53, Kumar Kushagara c Kamboj b Gaurav 42, Shams Mulani c Kamboj b Suthar 8, Tanush Kotian (not out) 26, Avesh Khan c Kishan b Gaurav 0; Extras (b-3, lb-14, w-3): 20; Total (for eight wkts. decl. in 66 overs): 286.
Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-73, 3-94, 4-199, 5-209, 6-234, 7-285, 8-286.
India-C bowling: Kamboj 17-3-60-2, Gaurav 15-0-68-4, Vyshak 6-0-36-0, Narang 8-1-30-0, Suthar 20-0-75-2.
India-C — 2nd Innings: Ruturaj Gaikwad c Kushagra b Aaqib 44, Vyshak Vijaykumar (run out) sub 17, B. Sai Sudarshan c Kotian b Prasidh 111, Rajat Patidar b Aaqib 7, Ishan Kishan c Kushagra b Kotian 17, Abishek Porel c Mayank b Kotian 0, Pulkit Narang c & b Kotian 6, Manav Sutharr c Mayank b Mulani 7, Anshul Kamboj lbw b Prasidh 0, B. Indrajith c Tilak b Prasidh 0, Gaurav Yadav (not out) 1; Extras (b-3, lb-4) 7; Total (in 81.5 overs): 217.
Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-113, 3-133, 4-174, 5-178, 6-188, 7-212, 8-216, 9-216.
India-A bowling: Prasidh 13.5-3-50-3, Avesh 14-2-34-0, Aaqib 14-6-26-2, Mulani 19-6-46-1, Kotian 18-3-47-3, Parag 3-0-7-0.
Published – September 23, 2024 01:00 am IST
