Axar Patel showcased his all-round brilliance on the first day of the Duleep Trophy, guiding India D out of a difficult situation with both bat and ball in Anantapur. Batting at No. 7, Axar rescued his team from a precarious 34 for 5 after India C’s decision to bowl first saw early success. Axar’s aggressive knock of 86 from 118 balls, featuring six fours and six sixes, was crucial in lifting India D to a total of 164. He shared an important 84-run ninth-wicket partnership with Arshdeep Singh (13) but was the lone bright spot as his team struggled against Karnataka pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak, who took 3 for 19 in his 12 overs.
Anantapur’s pitch lived up to its reputation of aiding fast bowlers, with a wicket falling in the very first over. India C’s bowlers tore through India D’s top order, dismissing Shreyas Iyer (9) and Devdutt Padikkal (0) cheaply. Vyshak, with support from Nishant Sindhu and Mohit Kamboj, kept the pressure on.
India C also faced difficulties with the bat, losing early wickets. B Sai Sudharsan and Ruturaj Gaikwad both fell for single digits, and Harshit Rana’s opening spell had them at 43 for 4. Rana took 2 for 13 from seven overs, setting the stage for Axar to make an impact with the ball. He claimed two wickets in quick succession, including the dangerous Rajat Patidar, to keep India C in check.
At stumps, India C was 91 for 4, trailing by 73 runs, with Abhimanyu Easwaran and Ishan Porel trying to steady the innings.
Leave a Reply