By BD Narayankar
Bengaluru, Sep 7 (UNI) India B’s gripping battle with India A took another twist as they ended Day 3 at 150/6, extending their lead to 240 runs in an absorbing Duleep Trophy contest at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. On a pitch favoring bowlers, the game has been a constant tug-of-war, with India A clawing back into contention late in the day.
The highlight of India B’s innings was Rishabh Pant’s explosive 61 off 47 balls. With nine boundaries and two sixes, Pant brought his trademark flair, launching an aggressive counter-attack just when India B seemed to be losing their grip. He fell to off-spinner Tanush Kotian, but his knock injected much-needed momentum into the innings after early setbacks.
Sarfaraz Khan chipped in with a spirited 46 off 36 balls, only to be undone by a sharp delivery from Avesh Khan that edged to the keeper, Dhruv Jurel.
The late dismissal of Nitish Reddy for 19, caught behind off Khaleel Ahmed, came at a crucial moment, halting India B’s progress and giving India A a lifeline. Khaleel, who returned figures of 2/56 in 9.3 overs, consistently troubled the batters with pace and movement, ensuring India B never felt entirely comfortable at the crease.
The final overs of the day saw India B crawl to stumps with just 27 runs from the last 10 overs, losing two wickets in the process. Akash Deep’s fiery spell kept the pressure on, as his consistent seam movement kept the India B batters in check.
Earlier, India A was bowled out for 231, trailing by 90 runs on first innings. Despite a brief resistance from Tanush Kotian and Akash Deep, Sai Kishore’s crucial breakthrough ensured that India A’s lower order couldn’t capitalize on the platform set by their middle order. Khaleel Ahmed fell as the last man, setting up India B’s second innings on an edgy note.
India B’s top order struggled from the outset. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Abhimanyu Easwaran fell cheaply, both caught behind by Jurel, who put on a standout performance with three catches, including a stunning one-handed grab to dismiss the first innings centurion Musheer Khan for a duck. At 22/3, India B seemed in trouble before Pant and Sarfaraz steadied the innings.
On Day 3, India B’s bowlers had laid the groundwork with a disciplined performance. Mukesh Kumar and Navdeep Saini led the attack, sharing five wickets between them. Mukesh’s sharp seam movement saw him dismiss Shivam Dube and Kuldeep Yadav in quick succession, while Saini’s pace accounted for Jurel, and Washington Sundar’s clever bowling outfoxed KL Rahul, who was beginning to look dangerous before being bowled trying an audacious paddle sweep.
As the match heads into the final day, India B’s slim batting resources face a test of nerves to extend their lead and set a daunting target. For India A, the task is clear: bowl India B out quickly and chase down what could be a tricky total on a pitch still offering plenty for the bowlers.
