Jagadeesan's Marathon 197 Propels South Zone; Central Zone Battles Back in Duleep Trophy Semifinals

Run-making continued to dominate on the second day of the Duleep Trophy semifinals at the BCCI Centre of Excellence grounds on Friday, with South Zone piling up a massive first-innings total against North Zone while Central Zone’s top order made strong progress in reply to West Zone’s 438.

For South Zone, Narayan Jagadeesan was the star of the day with a sparkling knock of 197. The opener, who looked set for a double century, anchored the innings from the start and played with authority, striking boundaries across the park. He eventually fell just three runs short of a landmark, but by then he had set up South for a commanding total of 536. His effort was supported by Ricky Bhui and Tanay Thyagarajan, who chipped in with half-centuries to frustrate the opposition bowlers.

The day was particularly tough for North Zone’s attack. Pacers struggled to find much movement or penetration, leaving the bulk of the work to spinner Nishant Sindhu. The youngster, who was part of India’s victorious 2022 Under-19 World Cup squad, sent down as many as 48 overs and finished with a hard-earned five-wicket haul (5/125). Anshul Kamboj, who recently made his Test debut against England, claimed two wickets, but the rest of the attack found little success as South marched past the 500-run mark.

In the other semifinal, Central Zone gave themselves a chance of staying level with West Zone thanks to solid top-order batting. Chasing 438, openers Danish Malewar and Ayush Pandey gave them a strong platform with a 93-run stand. Malewar, fresh from his double hundred in the quarterfinals, continued his rich form with a fluent 76 off 136 balls, showcasing his temperament and precise footwork. Pandey struck a brisk 40 before falling in the morning session.

Malewar’s dismissal, caught behind off left-arm spinner Dharmendra Jadeja, brought Shubham Sharma to the crease. The experienced right-hander played a cautious knock, weathering testing spells from the spinners to reach his half-century off 118 deliveries. He was unbeaten on 60 at stumps, with captain Rajat Patidar alongside him on 47. The pair added 69 runs for the third wicket, steering Central to 229 for two by close of play.

Earlier in the day, West Zone extended their overnight 363 for six to 438, with skipper Shardul Thakur completing a fighting half-century before being run out for 56. Tanush Kotian, who resumed on 65, went on to make 76, but Central’s spinners Harsh Dubey and company wrapped up the tail efficiently.

At the halfway stage, both semifinals remain evenly poised. South Zone will hope their 536 gives them enough of a cushion to put pressure on North’s batting, while Central Zone, trailing by 209 runs with eight wickets in hand, will look to push for a crucial first-innings lead against West on Saturday.