Master bowler: Shami showed that he can still make the ball talk through both conventional and reverse swing.
| Photo Credit: R. RAGU
A disciplined bowling performance and the comfort of a huge first-innings total ensured East Zone tightened its stranglehold over South Zone on day three of the Duleep Trophy final at the MAC Stadium here.
Chasing 709, South needed more than a couple of batters to produce special knocks. Unfortunately, aside from Devdutt Padikkal (62, 104b, 4×4), none of the others showed much inclination to keep the contest alive.
In the final session, skipper Tilak Varma offered some resistance, remaining unbeaten on 56 (133b, 5×4), but it was akin to trying to keep a sinking boat afloat as his side finished on 242 for six, still 466 runs in arrears.
For East, Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar took two wickets each. The former showed that he can still make the ball talk through both conventional and reverse swing with short yet incisive spells.
Shami of East Zone signing autograph for fans during the Duleep Trophy final against South Zone.
| Photo Credit:
R. RAGU
After losing opener Ricky Bhui early — caught down the leg-side off Mukesh Kumar — N. Jagadeesan and Padikkal added 60 runs for the second wicket.
The TN ’keeper-batter, though, threw away his start, slicing an innocuous wide delivery from left-arm spinner Shikhar Mohan to backward point.
Padikkal, fresh from twin centuries in the recently concluded Test series in Sri Lanka, was at his fluent best, cruising to a half-century. The southpaw looked set for another big one, until he flicked a leg-side half-volley from Mukesh down the square-leg fielder’s throat, much to his disbelief.
Padikkal could not convert his start into a big one.
| Photo Credit:
R. RAGU
Shami, in his second spell, attacked the stumps relentlessly and reaped the rewards through his trademark delivery that seamed off the pitch and trapped Shaik Rasheed plumb in front.
The 36-year-old then produced another peach from around the wicket that nipped away just enough to have R. Smaran caught behind, leaving South tottering at 174 for five.
Tilak and Shreyas Gopal then added 66 for the sixth wicket before the latter was dismissed in the final over of the day. With East skipper Ishan Kishan already hinting that his team was not inclined to enforce the follow-on, the next two days could well be about going through the formalities before the coronation.
East players celebrate taking a South Zone wicket.
| Photo Credit:
R. RAGU
The scores: East Zone — 1st innings: 708 in 163 overs.
South Zone — 1st innings: Ricky Bhui c Kushagra b Mukesh 1, N. Jagadeesan c Abhimanyu b Shikhar 32, Devdutt Padikkal c sub (Denish) b Mukesh 62, Shaik Rasheed lbw b Shami 27, Tilak Varma (batting) 56, R. Smaran c Kushagra b Shami 23, Shreyas Gopal c & b Quraishi 26, C.V. Milind (batting) 2; Extras (b-8, nb-3, w-2): 13; Total (for six wkts. in 80 overs): 242.
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-70, 3-126, 4-129, 5-174, 6-240.
East Zone bowling: Shami 11-4-17-2, Mukesh 12-1-36-2, Quraishi 31-7-77-1, Abhijit 8-0-34-0, Shikhar 13-0-52-1, Sooryavanshi 4-0-10-0, Kishan 1-0-8-0.
Published – September 08, 2026 07:20 pm IST
