Bengaluru, Sep 8 (UNI) India B tightened their hold on Day 4 of the Duleep Trophy match as India A’s batting lineup faltered under overcast conditions at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, setting the stage for a tense finish on Sunday.
Chasing 275 for victory, India A was left reeling at 76/4 by lunch, with their hopes hanging by a thread as seamers Yash Dayal and Navdeep Saini exploited the conditions expertly.
India A’s chase began promisingly, with Shubman Gill and Riyan Parag stitching together a solid partnership. Parag, in particular, looked aggressive, smashing a quickfire 31, but the tide turned dramatically when Dayal delivered a peach of a ball that had Parag edging to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.
Gill, who had earlier been the picture of patience with a composed 21, fell victim to a probing delivery from Saini, who celebrated his breakthrough with palpable energy.
Saini’s momentum continued as he dismissed Dhruv Jurel for a golden duck, plunging India A into deeper trouble. Dayal, who has claimed three key wickets, bowled with venom, his relentless accuracy and movement off the seam proving too much for India A’s batsmen to handle.
Earlier in the day, India B were bowled out for 184 in their second innings, largely due to a spirited performance by Akash Deep. The young seamer picked up his maiden five-wicket haul, including the scalps of first-innings centurion Musheer Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran, keeping India A’s hopes alive despite the daunting target.
Khaleel Ahmed provided crucial support, claiming three wickets as the pair kept India B’s lower order in check.
KL Rahul, unbeaten on 20, now carries the weight of India A’s hopes. His experience will be crucial if they are to salvage anything from the game, but he will need support from the lower order on a pitch that is increasingly showing its teeth. With cracks widening and the ball moving consistently off the seam, India A’s batters face a stern test in the coming session.
The match hangs in the balance, but India B holds the advantage, thanks to disciplined bowling and an unforgiving pitch. As the clouds continue to hover, all eyes will be on how India A’s batsmen navigate this critical period of play, with a potential outright win for India B looming large.
