Saransh Jain, Kumar Kartikeya Hand Central Zone Big Advantage in Duleep Trophy Final
Central Zone made a dominant start to the Duleep Trophy final against South Zone, thanks to stellar performances from spinners Saransh Jain and Kumar Kartikeya. The duo combined to bowl out South Zone for a modest 149 on the opening day at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
At stumps, Central Zone had responded strongly, reaching 50 for 0 in 17 overs, trailing by just 99 runs, with openers Danish Malewar (28*) and Akshay Wadkar (20*) looking solid.
Spin Duo Wreak Havoc
Bowling under overcast skies on a surface with a hint of grass, Saransh Jain continued his fine form with a second consecutive five-wicket haul, finishing with 5 for 49. Kartikeya was equally impressive, ending with figures of 4 for 53. The pair triggered a collapse that saw South Zone bundled out in just 63 overs.
South Zone had begun cautiously, with openers Mohit Kale and Tanmay Agarwal adding 24 in 15 overs. But the introduction of spin turned the tide quickly. Kartikeya struck in his first over, cleaning up Kale, who attempted a slog. R Smaran followed soon after, top-edging a sweep to square leg.
A mix-up between Tanmay and Ricky Bhui led to a run-out, with Tanmay falling short after a mid-pitch collision. Kartikeya claimed his third wicket before lunch, bowling South captain Mohammed Azharuddeen for 4, leaving South Zone reeling at 64 for 4.
Post-Lunch Collapse
After the break, Jain got into the act, trapping Bhui lbw. Salman Nizar attempted to counter-attack, striking a six and four off Kartikeya, while C Andre Siddarth showed intent with a boundary. However, Siddarth’s aggression led to his downfall — stumped after being beaten in flight by Jain.
Nizar's resistance ended on 24 when a ball from Jain kicked off the surface and hit his gloves, resulting in a sharp catch at slip. Kartikeya then removed Gurjapneet Singh lbw before Jain wrapped up the innings, bowling Ankit Sharma with a straight delivery to complete his five-for.
Central Openers Stand Firm
In reply, Central Zone’s openers handled the conditions with composure. Despite facing the spin of Ankit Sharma and the left-arm pace of Gurjapneet Singh, Wadkar and Malewar got off to a confident start. They took the attack to Gurjapneet, hitting three boundaries in an over, and reached the 50-run mark without any damage.
There was a lone moment of concern when Ankit appealed for lbw against Wadkar, but replays showed the ball was missing leg stump. As bad light brought an early end to the day, the Central Zone batters had done their job — ensuring their side holds a strong position heading into Day 2.
Score Summary:
South Zone: 149 all out in 63 overs
(Tanmay Agarwal 31, Salman Nizar 24; Saransh Jain 5-49, Kumar Kartikeya 4-53)
Central Zone: 50 for 0 in 17 overs
(Danish Malewar 28*, Akshay Wadkar 20*)
Central Zone trail by 99 runs with all wickets intact.