Duleep Trophy: Abhimanyu Easwaran and Tilak Varma impress with respective tons on Day 3

The second round of the Duleep Trophy has gained momentum, with several statement centuries marked in both ongoing matches. The third and fourth matches, India C vs India B and India A vs India D, respectively, have reached Day 3 of the four-day proceedings. As the competition for a spot in the Duleep Trophy final intensifies, Day 3 saw three centuries across both games. Ishan Kishan, a surprising inclusion in the domestic tournament, kicked off the second round with a century for India C. By the end of Day 3, India B captain Abhimanyu Easwaran had registered his 23rd first-class century. Additionally, Tilak Varma and Pratham Singh each notched a hundred, putting India D in the daunting position of chasing 488 runs.

Duleep Trophy, Second Round: Pratham Singh and Tilak Varma put India A in a commanding position against India D

India D’s bowlers failed to replicate their first-innings success against India A, as Pratham Singh and Tilak Varma guided India A to a commanding position. Day 2 ended with India D skipper Shreyas Iyer dismissing India D captain Mayank Agarwal with his very first delivery of the match. Day 3 began with Pratham Singh resuming his knock from 59, joined by Tilak Varma after Agarwal’s departure.

The duo provided no openings to the India D bowlers, steadily building the team’s score past 200 runs. As Singh became more comfortable against the bowlers, he shifted gears, hitting a six and two fours off pacer Vidhwath Kaverappa to bring up his century. Eventually, Saurabh Kumar provided the first breakthrough of the day for India D, but not before the 32-year-old left-hander had secured his maiden Duleep Trophy century.

Tilak Varma, returning from injury, made a strong statement with the bat, continuing to trouble the India D bowlers. Varma built a solid 104-run partnership with Pratham Singh, who departed after scoring 122 off 189 balls. Riyan Parag joined Varma at the crease as lunch approached, but Parag couldn’t maintain the momentum set by Singh and was dismissed for just 20. Varma, however, kept the runs flowing, forming another significant partnership with the next batter, Shashwat Rawat.

Varma and Rawat added 116 runs for the fourth wicket, with Varma reaching his fifth first-class century, taking 177 balls to achieve the milestone. Rawat contributed with a half-century, completing 50 runs in 75 deliveries. By tea, the duo had posted a total of 370 on the scoreboard. After the break, Varma and Rawat added 10 more runs in just two overs before India A declared their innings at 380, setting India D a target of 488.

Abhimanyu Easwaran turns out the saving grace for India B against India C on Day 3

Meanwhile, in the other match between India B and India C in Anantapur, Abhimanyu Easwaran stood out as the sole performer for India B on Day 3. Narayan Jagadeesan, who resumed the day with 67 runs, could add only three more to his tally before Anshul Kamboj dismissed him. In response to Ishan Kishan’s century and a half-century by India C captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Easwaran kept the scoreboard ticking for India B.

With Jagadeesan gone, Easwaran struggled to find consistent support at the other end, as pacer Anshul Kamboj tore through the India B batting lineup. Kamboj claimed a five-wicket haul, finishing with figures of 5 for 66, as India B faced difficulties in Anantapur. Despite the wickets falling around him, Easwaran managed to reach his 23rd first-class century, forging small partnerships with Sai Kishore and Washington Sundar. India B eventually posted 309 runs on the board for the loss of seven wickets. At the close of Day 3, India B trailed by 216 runs in response to India C’s first-innings total of 525.

Other notable contributions in the match included half-centuries by India C captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Manav Suthar. However, it was Ishan Kishan, a last-minute addition to the second round of the Duleep Trophy, who set the tone for India C with his century on the opening day. With three days completed, the second round has witnessed four centuries so far. India D remains the only team yet to produce a century in this penultimate round, though left-hander Devdutt Padikkal came close with a noteworthy 92 on Day 2 against India A, as the rest of the India D lineup collapsed for a collective 90 runs.