Duleep Trophy: India C tops the table despite the draw against India B

The second round of matches in Duleep Trophy concluded with India A clinching a momentous win against India D in Anantapur. Simultaneously, the match between India B and India C ended up in a draw. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad notched up half-centuries in both the innings for India C. However, the match was called off at the day end with India C reaching 128 for 4 in their second innings and imposing a lead of 321 runs at the opponents. Despite the match ending up without a clear winner, India C currently sits at the top of the Duleep Trophy table.

Anshul Kamboj shines as India C tops the Duleep Trophy table ahead of the final round

While Ruturaj Gaikwad led India C from the front despite an injury, it was Anshul Kamboj who stole the show for the team. The medium pacer claimed an 8-wicket haul, subsequently being named Player of the Match. The 23-year-old all-rounder with his 8/69 in the match became only the third player to register an 8-wicket haul in the domestic tournament. He also contributed with a quick 38 off 27 balls. 

Abhimanyu Easwaran who remained unbeaten on 143 on Day 3 continued on Day 4. However, the India B skipper fell against the star of the day, Anshul Kamboj at 157. After Easwaran, it proved considerably easy for Kamboj to bundle the rest of the line-up. It took India C just seven overs to wrap up the last three wickets. Kamboj claimed the wicket of Chahar who departed at the score of 18. Followingly, Navdeep Saini, who had scored a half-century in the previous game registered a duck, as India B's batting innings came to an end.

India C’s second innings began on an aggressive note, with Sai Sudharsan hitting two boundaries before being bowled by Mukesh Kumar in the fifth over. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rajat Patidar then put together a 96-run partnership as the team crossed the 100-run mark. Musheer Khan who grabbed the headlines with his 189-run stand in the first match showed uo with the ball this time as he claimed the wicket of Rajat Patidar. Next up, the centurion from the, Ishan Kishan fell to the attack of Rahul Chahar, scoring just a single run. Gaikwad went on to score his second fifty of the match, adding to his 58 from the first innings, before falling to Chahar for 62. With Baba Indrajith and Abhishek Porel adding to India C's lead, the match was eventually called off as the Day 4 came to an end.