Ruturaj Gaikwad's superlative daddy hundred put West Zone in driver's seat as they dominate Central Zone on Day 1 in the Duleep Trophy semifinal clash on September 4. The West Zone's lineup was a star-studded affair with Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ruturaj Gaikwad all taking the field. However, only one of them truly had a day to remember with the bat. Gaikwad played a sensational innings, converting his century into a massive score of 184 runs from 206 deliveries, including 25 fours and a six. His exceptional performance was instrumental in pushing his team to a strong 363/6 by the end of Day 1's play.
Ruturaj Gaikwad roars with splendid 184 as West Zone dominate against Central Zone
Talking about Central Zone's bowling, the left-arm seamer Khaleel Ahmed was particularly impressive, taking two crucial early wickets for the Central Zone. He dismissed both Jaiswal and Iyer, setting a strong tone for his team and putting them in a dominant position early in the match. But Gaikwad's robust batting dismantled Central Zone's momentum and helped West Zone dominate the day.
Unfortunately for the West Zone, both Jaiswal and Iyer couldn't do much with the bat. Jaiswal, opening the innings, was quickly dismissed after scoring just four runs, trapped plumb in front of the stumps by Khaleel Ahmed. Iyer, batting at number five, also fell to Khaleel Ahmed. Despite looking good during his brief stay at the crease, he was bowled out for 25 runs, a testament to the bowler's impressive performance.
While Jaiswal has a secure spot in India's Test lineup, Iyer is still fighting for his return to the format. His ordinary show with the bat, the first of the new domestic season, does not help his cause. However, he will have another chance to make an impression and could get a couple more innings if the West Zone advances to the final of the Duleep Trophy.
Despite a star-studded batting lineup, West Zone found themselves in a difficult position, struggling at 179/5 at one point. It was a crucial 148-run partnership between Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tanush Kotian for the sixth wicket that helped the team recover. Gaikwad had been fighting a lone battle until Kotian joined him, and Kotian finished the day unbeaten on 65 runs from 121 balls. By the end of the first day, the West Zone had reached 363/6 in 87 overs, with skipper Shardul Thakur (24*) and Tanush Kotian (65*) still intact on the crease.