India A has won the Duleep Trophy title. India A, captained by Mayank Agarwal, beat India C by 132 runs in the last match in a thrilling manner. Even Sai Sudarshan’s brilliant century (111) in the final session of the last day could not save India C from defeat. India A needed 4 wickets in the last 9 overs to win, with Sai Sudarshan also in the lead, then fast bowler Hirshan Krishna took 3 wickets including Sudarshan to lead the team to victory. The failure of batsmen like captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Rajat Patidar weighed heavily on India C and the title slipped from their hands. India C just needed a draw and the team was close but Prasid denied his wish.
Even Rituraj-Ishaan could not be saved
On Sunday, 22 September, the final day of the match, India A declared their second innings, scoring 286 for the loss of 8 wickets. On his part, Ryan Parag top scored with 73 runs, while Shashwat Rawat also played an innings of 53 runs. India A got a lead of 63 runs in the first innings. Thus he gave India C a target of 351 runs for G. India C had almost two-and-a-half sessions to achieve this target but the team never found itself in a winning position, rather its efforts to somehow steer the match towards a draw failed.
After losing the first wicket, captain Gaikwad (44) and Sai Sudarshan put on a strong partnership for the second wicket. Both remained at the wicket and batted for 22 overs and shared a partnership of 77 runs. The team looked in better shape and would have won the title if the match had been drawn as they topped the points table. While India A needed to win at any cost but both the batsmen were proving to be a problem for them. Then fast bowler Aqib Khan made Gaikwad his victim for the second time in this match. After this, batsmen like Patidar (7), Ishan Kishan (17), Abhishek Porel (0), Pulkit Narang (6) also returned to the pavilion one after another.
What a match. what a fight What a win!
The celebrations say it all 🔥🔥#DulipTrophy , @IDFCFIRSTBank
Follow the match ▶️: https://t.co/QkxvrUnnhz pic.twitter.com/QpYoq2qYB7
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIDomestic) September 22, 2024
The pace of fame had overtaken the century of Sudarshan
Sai Sudarshan stood alone from the other end and for a while he was supported by Manav Suthar too. Meanwhile, Sudarshan also scored a huge century. India C had to bowl only 9 overs to draw the match and 4 wickets including Sudarshan were left. It was here that spinner Shams Mulani broke the partnership by dismissing Suthar. Then, in the second over, fast bowler Irshan Krishna took the wicket of Baba Inderjit. Top order batsman Indrajit didn’t come to bat early due to a hamstring injury but when there was no option left, he bravely took the crease to get a draw but his game ended in 2 balls. In the next two overs, Prasid dismissed Sudarshan and then Anshul Kamboj, winning the first 3 overs to make the team champions.
