Duleep Trophy: Shreyas Iyer's team lost badly, India-C won the match within 3 days

In the first round match of the Duleep Trophy 2024, India-C defeated Shreyas Iyer-led India-D by 4 wickets very easily. In this match played in Anantapur, India-C, led by Rituraj Gaikwad, achieved the target of 233 runs given by India-D by losing 6 wickets on the third day of the match. For India-C, captain Rituraj and Rajat Patidar played strong innings while chasing the target in the second innings, while Abhishek Porel made a useful contribution in the second innings like the first innings and took rest only after giving victory to the team.

The first first-class match held in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh after about 6 years resulted in a result in just 3 days. As expected, the fast bowlers dominated in the beginning but the spinners also showed their strength in the third and fourth innings. India-C spinner Manav Suthar (7/49) proved to be the best and the difference in this matter. He took 7 wickets in the second innings of India-D and played an important role in bundling out the entire team for just 236 runs. India-D captain Shreyas (56), who failed in the first innings, certainly scored a quick half-century in the second innings but could not play a big innings.

India-C had a lead of 4 runs in the first innings, so the target in front of them in the last innings was only 233 runs. This target could have proved difficult on the third and fourth day, but their captain Rituraj (46) batted aggressively as soon as he came and gave the team a quick start. He especially targeted India-D's fast bowler Harshit Rana, who wreaked havoc by taking 4 wickets in the first innings. The opening pair of Rituraj and Sai Sudarshan (22) had scored 64 runs for the first wicket within 11 overs.

It was here that India-D spinner Saransh Jain (4/92) got the team back by dismissing both of them but it did not last long. Rajat Patidar (44) and Aryan Juyal (47) added 88 runs for the third wicket. Here Saransh gave a ray of hope to the team by taking 2 wickets but Abhishek Porel along with Manav led the team to victory. Porel returned unbeaten after scoring 35 runs, while Manav, who wreaked havoc with the ball, also remained not out after playing an important innings of 19 runs.