Published By: Sayan Guha

Duleep Trophy Round 2, Day 1: Drama, Dominance, and a Few Surprises

One thing’s for sure—there’s a lot more action coming our way

Round 2 of the Duleep Trophy saw two exciting clashes that had fans hooked right from the start. India A faced off against India D, while India C took on India B. Both matches provided plenty of highlights, standout performances, and moments that left everyone talking. So, let’s break down what went down on Day 1.

India A vs India D

India A at 288/8 at the end of Day 1 might not tell the whole story, but it was a hard-fought day. India D’s decision to bowl first paid off in the early overs, as their bowlers made quick breakthroughs, leaving India A in a tough spot.

Best batting performances

Shams Mulani led the fightback with an unbeaten 88 off 174 balls. It wasn’t a flashy innings, but he held the fort when it mattered most. His eight fours and three sixes added a little flair to what was otherwise a cautious knock.
Tanush Koitan made a valuable 53 off 80 balls. His partnership with Mulani gave India A some much-needed stability after a shaky start.

Best bowling performances

Vidwath Kaverappa was the star with the ball. He bowled 14 overs, kept things tight with five maidens, and picked up two wickets for just 30 runs.

Arshdeep Singh had a roller-coaster day, leaking a few runs but striking twice in his 18 overs.

Harshit Rana also chipped in with two wickets, conceding 49 runs in his 16 overs.

India C vs India B

India C put up an imposing 357/5 at stumps, and most of the credit goes to some standout individual performances. India B’s bowlers had their work cut out as the batters piled on runs throughout the day.

Best batting performances

Ishan Kishan was the star of the day, smashing 111 off 126 balls. It was vintage Kishan—aggressive yet calculated. With 14 boundaries and three massive sixes, he set the tone early.

Baba Indrajith followed suit, anchoring the innings with a more measured 78 off 136 balls. He didn’t hit any sixes but still managed nine crisp boundaries.

Best bowling performances

Mukesh Kumar was the pick of the bowlers for India B, grabbing three crucial wickets, including the dangerous Kishan and Sai Sudharsan. He bowled 21 overs, kept it tight with three maidens, and gave away 76 runs.

Viral and funny moments

It wasn’t just about the severe cricket—there were some moments that had the crowd buzzing and players riled up.

Arshdeep’s fiery send-off

Arshdeep Singh’s frustration boiled over after dismissing Riyan Parag. The left-arm seamer, struggling with his line early on, found his rhythm and got Parag to edge a wide delivery to slips. A heated celebration followed as Arshdeep stood his ground, shouting in Parag’s direction—a moment that quickly went viral.

Parag’s counter-attack

Despite the fiery dismissal, Parag had his moments, including a monstrous six off Vidwath Kaverappa. Walking in at a precarious position, Parag played a quickfire knock of 37 off 29 balls, hitting five boundaries and a towering six before falling to Arshdeep’s fury.

Kaverappa’s dream delivery

Vidwath Kaverappa produced an absolute beauty to send India A captain Mayank Agarwal back to the pavilion. Bowling a length delivery that angled towards off-stump, he tempted Agarwal into a shot, only for the batter to edge it to Sanju Samson behind the stumps. The sheer perfection of that delivery had the commentators and crowd buzzing. It’s one of those moments where everything just clicks for the bowler—and Agarwal could do nothing but walk back in disbelief.

Gaikwad’s sudden exit

In the India C vs India B match, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad walked off the field before coming back and scored 46 after facing just two deliveries. He hit a boundary off the first ball but appeared to have sustained an injury, forcing him to retire hurt. The mystery surrounding his sudden exit added an unexpected twist to the day.