Fighting Axar rescues India-D after India-C pacers rock the top-order 

Axar Patel’s rescue act (86, 118b, 6×4, 6×6), which included an 84-run ninth-wicket partnership with Arshdeep Singh, prevented India-D’s Duleep Trophy fixture against India-C from turning into a one-sided affair here on Thursday (September 5, 2024).

Axar sparked the contest to life in the second session, pulling the crowd back which was otherwise falling into a post-lunch snooze, with two sixes and a boundary off Manav Suthar. He was indiscriminate against the second spinner, Hrithik Shokeen, too, heaving him for sixes over long on and long off off successive deliveries.

Vyshak strikes

But the rearguard collapsed with the return of V. Vyshak, who forced Arshdeep into picking backward point with a bouncer. Axar miscued his slog sweep off Shokeen to deep-midwicket, bringing India-D’s innings to an end at 164.

Abishek Porel and B. Indrajith combined for an unbeaten 58-run fifth-wicket alliance to lead India-C to 91 for four at stumps, cutting the team’s deficit to just 73. But the twin strikes from Harshit Rana and Axar ensured their team was still in the contest, given its batting implosion earlier in the day.

Cornered

Asked to bat under overcast conditions, Shreyas Iyer’s side was cornered after five of its batters returned inside the first 11 overs.

Atharva Taide was rushed into a hook and holed out at fine leg in the first over. Yet Vyshak opted against a short-ball ploy, the proven nemesis of the talismanic Shreyas, and squared up the India-D skipper with lateral movement, getting him to edge to the wicketkeeper.

Devdutt Padikkal lasted four deliveries, driving Vyshak straight to covers. Ricky Bhui was the next to perish against the short-pitched delivery, top-edging an attempted pull against Himanshu.

At 34 four five, Axar and K.S. Bharat were forced to drop anchor. But it proved only a momentary halt in the slide when Suthar induced Bharat’s outside edge that was pouched at first slip.

India-D plunged further into disarray at 76 for seven when Saransh Jain was run out after a mix up with Axar. The all-rounder, however, stood vindicated with his match-saving heroics thereafter.

The scores: India-D — 1st innings: Atharva Taide c Vyshak b Kamboj 4, Yash Dubey c Porel b Kamboj 10, Shreyas Iyer c Porel b Vyshak 9, Devdutt Padikkal c Ruturaj b Vyshak 0, Ricky Bhui c Kamboj b Himanshu 4, K.S. Bharat c Indrajith b Suthar 13, Axar Patel c Suthar b Shokeen 86, Saransh Jain (run out) 13, Harshit Rana c Patidar b Himanshu 0, Arshdeep Singh c Suthar b Vyshak 13, Aditya Thakare (not out) 0; Extras (b-10, w-1, nb-1): 12; Total (in 48.3 overs): 164.

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-23, 3-23, 4-23, 5-34, 6-48, 7-76, 8-76, 9-160.

India-C bowling: Kamboj 12-0-47-2, Vyshak 12-3-19-3, Himanshu 9-2-22-2, Suthar 7-2-34-1, Shokeen 8.3-1-32-1.

India-C — 1st innings: Ruturaj Gaikwad c Bharat b Rana 5, Sai Sudharsan c Taide b Rana 7, Aryan Juyal c & b Axar 12, Rajat Patidar b Axar 13, B. Indrajith (batting) 15, Abishek Porel (batting) 32; Extras (b-5, lb-1, nb-1): 7; Total (for four wkts. in 33 overs): 91.

Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-14, 3-40, 4-43.

India-D bowling: Rana 7-5-13-2, Arshdeep 8-1-24-0, Thakare 7-1-18-0, Axar 6-1-16-2, Saransh 5-1-14-0.

Toss: India-C.