India Red in command after Sundar shines with bat and ball
Washington Sundar took five wickets and then scored a fighting unbeaten 42 to consolidate India Red's stronghold in the Duleep Trophy final
ESPNcricinfo staff
27-Sep-2017
India Red 187 for 7 (Indrajith 59, Sundar 42*, Bhatt 3-75) and 483 lead India Blue 299 (Easwaran 127, Unadkat 83, Sundar 5-94, Gohil 5-121) by 371 runs
India Red strengthened their position in the Duleep Trophy final after taking a first-innings lead of 184 following five-wicket hauls from Gohil and Washington Sundar. Sundar then struck an unbeaten 42 to give his team the upper hand at stumps.
India Blue started the day on 185 for 5, and managed to add another 114 runs, with Abhimanyu Easwaran completing his fourth first-class hundred in the process. But Vijay Gohil and Sundar cleaned up the India Blue tail. Once Easwaran's dismissal ended the 140-run sixth-wicket partnership, India Blue quickly collapsed, losing their last five wickets for 36 runs. India Red then survived a top-order stutter to reach 187 for 7 at the end of play on the third day, their lead burgeoning to 371.
India Red were quickly reduced to 58 for 4 in their second innings, before Baba Indrajith and Sundar added 77 runs for the fifth wicket. Indrajith fell on 59 in the last session - the fifth man to go - with the team's score at 135. India A lost two more wickets before close of play.
India Red's early collapse was triggered by offspinner Akshay Wakhare, while Bhargav Bhatt's spell towards the day's end helped limit the batting. Bhatt removed the dangerous Suryakumar Yadav (22) and Gohil in the final session before Sundar and Siddarth Kaul (5*) saw the evening off.