is that it? Five-for in the innings, ten-for in the match. Stump-to-stump, didn't turn as much as Nathu expected as he pressed forward to defend, and it beats the inside edge to hit front pad. Might be missing leg stump, but not by much, and by my reckoning would have been 'umpire's call' had DRS been in use. The umpire gives it out, and that's the end of the game too. Mukund won't be batting.
India Blue vs India Red, Final at Greater Noida, Sep 10 2016 - Match Result
That brings an end to our coverage of the 2016-17 Duleep Trophy. All in all, what a start to the pink-ball trial in India. Rains in Greater Noida did occasionally dampen the spirits, but fans still turned up in large numbers to throng the stands. Regardless of where this experiment takes us and we get to see a pink-ball Test in India in the future or not, this Duleep Trophy will go down as a historic occasion on account of a first-class game in India being played under lights for the first time. We hope you enjoyed our coverage of the tournament. Long home season ahead for the Indian team, so plenty to look forward to. See you then, and thank you for joining us!
Gautam Gambhir - Absolutely, very professional. Toss is not in your hands, but I won the toss, fortunately. Putting 700 runs on the board was crucial. I think I have always felt that's the way the game is meant to be played. I have seen captains say in the past that the Duleep Trophy is about individuals. The first day when I came in, I thought the most important thing was to get the unit together and inculcate the culture of winning in the dressing room. There is no better feeling than to lead the team to a win. The most important culture is winning. It's always about winning and not about individual performances. There is no better feeling than winning and getting into a dressing room, because a winning dressing room is a happy dressing room. I thought when you win the toss and someone gets a 250, it's fantastic, hopefully, he (Pujara) can carry this form into international cricket. It's all about contributing, opening the batting is very important to me. I have always maintained that in a four-day or a five-day game, making a good start is important. Looking forward to win it, it's been a while since Delhi has won the Ranji Trophy.
Pujara - Obviously, I've been playing a lot of cricket since childhood and I have always enjoyed scoring big runs, right from the junior days, and now it has become a habit. I like to compete and there is always a price on my wicket. I always feel when I'm set, I have to score big runs and help the team. I enjoyed playing the pink ball, but there are challenges, especially under lights when it is hard to pick the googly. It was a good preparation for the New Zealand series and I'm looking forward to it.
Cheteshwar Pujara is the Man of the Match.
Yuvraj Singh - Definitely, since we lost the toss and we didn't bowl well. We missed stumpings, dropped catches. I hope to get better. The batsmen - Gambhir and Pujara - piled on the runs. Staying for long periods on the field can tiring. Looking forward to the domestic season. , and hopefully, ht emore I play, the better I will get. The toss wasimportant, but they bowled better, Jadeja bowled well, Pankaj bowled well with the new ball. It's a bit tough to comment (on the pink ball) because when we were bowling, the ball wasn't swinging much, whereas when they bowled, it was swinging. It's still a mystery.
5.45pm Excellent win for India Blue. Two commanding performances, back-to-back, and they've clearly proved themselves the best team in this Duleep Trophy. Makes you wonder if the selectors got their talent distribution right while picking the teams. This win was set up by another massive first-innings total, with Cheteshwar Pujara's unbeaten 256 the highlight. But bowlers win matches, and in Ravindra Jadeja and his pace and accuracy, India Blue had the ideal spinner for a slow turner.
slower, tossed up a little wider, Kuldeep stretches out to defend into the off side
and again, back and across to defend a length ball on off stump
flatter, on the stumps, defended off the back foot though it was still a length ball
good response. Flights it again, but a bit quicker through the air, and gets it to dip and turn in from outside off to beat the inside edge of his defensive bat and hit front pad, though outside the line
sees him step out and floats it wider, but it's within Kuldeep's range, and gives him lots of swinging room to launch that high over long-on
flighted and very full on off stump, stays next to the line and pushes to deep point. No single taken again
a bit quicker through the air, and he presses forward to defend to silly point
makes a LOT of room, and flat-bats a middle-stump ball over the covers. Not the most advisable shot, but entertaining
a bit of flight, and Kuldeep sweeps to deep backward square leg
lovely. Goes back to a length ball which doesn't turn as much as expected, and is squared up as it goes past his outside edge, not far from off stump
straighter, presses forward to defend in front of middle stump, squirts it off the inside edge towards square leg
length ball on off stump, defended towards silly point
sees him advancing and floats it wider outside off. Goes for the flat-bat drive and drags it towards midwicket
shorter, and he rocks back to cut, but it turns in sharply, cramps him, and he can only jam it down into the pitch
a bit fuller and straighter, blocked into the covers
tossed up a bit wider, defended towards point
down the track now, gets to the pitch and hits along the ground to long-on. Doesn't take the single
lovely flight, slants this across outside Kuldeep's off stump, and gets it to dip and turn back in. Attempted defensive push into the covers rolls off the inside edge into the leg side
sharp turn towards off stump, Nathu plays slightly beside the line to defend towards backward point
Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground, Greater Noida | |
Toss | India Blue, elected to bat first |
Series | |
Season | 2016 |
Player Of The Match | |
Series result | India Blue won the 2016 Duleep Trophy |
Hours of play (local time) | 14:00 start, Tea 16.00-16.30, Dinner 18.30-19.00, Close 21.00 |
Match days | 10,11,12,13,14 September 2016 - daynight (5-day match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Match Referee |