Star all-rounder Axar Patel's brilliant counterattack, highlighted by an 84-run ninth-wicket partnership with Arshdeep Singh, rescued India D from a potential one-sided defeat against India C in the Duleep Trophy.
Axar Patel's counterattack rescues India D in Duleep Trophy
The match had entered a lull after lunch, with the audience starting to lose interest. However, Axar Patel injected excitement into the contest with his aggressive batting. He launched two sixes and a boundary off Manav Suthar, reigniting the crowd's enthusiasm. The second spinner, Hrithik Shokeen, also faced the wrath of Axar's bat, being dispatched for two sixes over long-on and long-off in consecutive deliveries. Axar's powerful strokes turned the tide for India D, giving them a fighting chance in the match.
Axar Patel's Innings Ends on 86
Axar Patel's aggressive batting extended to facing pace bowlers as well. He lofted Himanshu Chauhan down the ground for two boundaries, showcasing his versatility.
Arshdeep Singh also contributed to the innings with a six off Himanshu Chauhan. However, the rearguard effort collapsed with the return of Vyshak Vijayakumar, who employed a bouncer strategy against the tail-ender. With the last man in and Axar Patel just 14 runs away from a second First-Class century, the latter's miscued slog sweep off Shokeen ended India D's innings at 164.
India C fight back, trail India D by 73 runs
Abhishek Porel and Baba Indrajith combined for an unbeaten 58-run partnership, rescuing India C from a precarious position and reducing their deficit to just 73 runs at Stumps. Despite the twin strikes from Harshit Rana and Axar Patel, India D remained in the contest due to their own batting struggles earlier in the day. India C, batting first under overcast conditions, faced early challenges. Five of their batters were dismissed within the first 11 overs.
The pitch's bounce was evident from the first delivery, as Atharva Taide was caught at fine-leg attempting a hook shot. However, Vyshak Vijayakumar opted for a different strategy, targeting Shreyas Iyer with lateral movement. The India D skipper edged the ball to the keeper, falling victim to the clever bowling.
Devdutt Padikkal struggled to counter Vyshak's length deliveries, being dismissed after facing just four balls. Ricky Bhui followed suit, falling victim to a short-pitched delivery from Himanshu. With the score at 34 for five, Axar Patel and KS Bharat were forced to rebuild the innings. However, their respite was short-lived as Suthar induced a catch from Bharat at first slip. India D's struggles continued as Saransh Jain was run out due to a mix-up with Axar Patel. The all-rounder, however, played a crucial role in rescuing India D with his match-saving heroics.
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