Live blog - Gaikwad and Iyer fall cheaply; Central Zone qualify for final

Central Zone 600 (Shubham 96, Upendra 87, Jadeja 4-130) drew with West Zone 438 (Gaikwad 184, Dubey 3-118) and 216 for 8(Jaiswal 64, Jain 5-84)
Central Zone qualify for the final

Ruturaj Gaikwad's first-innings 184, Harsh Dubey's 74 and six wickets for the game and Central Zone batters' all-round show formed the highlights of the second Duleep Trophy 2024-25 semi-final. West Zone batted first and recorded 438 but fifties from six Central Zone batters helped them take a first-innings lead on the basis of which they qualified for the Duleep Trophy final. They will now take on South Zone for the title.

West Zone found themselves in early trouble on the opening day but a masterful 184 off 206 balls from Gaikwad, and fifties from Tanush Kotian and Shardul Thakur took them to 438. Saransh Jain and Dubey picked three wickets apiece. Central Zone were steady in their reply with Aayush Pandey scoring 40, Danish Malewar 76, Shubham Sharma 76 and Rajat Patidar 77. There was a minor blip when Central lost a few quick wickets to slip to 322 for 5.

But Dubey and Upendra Yadav (87) added 134 runs for the sixth wicket, ensuring a first innings lead. They then stretched it to 162, with Jain also recording an unbeaten 63. Dharmendrasinh Jadeja picked four wickets while Arzan Nagwaswalla picked three.

West Zone's second innings was a formality on the final day. Yashasvi Jaiswal zoomed away to a 70-ball 64 and Tanush Kotian remained unbeaten on 40, while Jain picked five wickets. Iyer and Gaikwad fell cheaply.

Deshpande chips Harsh Dubey to mid-on and falls for 12. Shardul Thakur walks out to bat with Kotian continuing to notch up runs. Just at the stroke of tea, Jain picks his fifth wicket when Thakur edges behind to the wicketkeeper. And that's that. The two teams shake hands, with the game ending in a draw.

Tushar Deshpande and Tanush Kotian have chugged along nicely. The spinners, Harsh Dubey and Saransh Jain are operating in tandem and Deshpande and Kotian have accelerated decently well. Kotian has struck five fours in his 30 while Deshpande has hit two in his 12.

West Zone have taken the lead but have lost six wickets in the process. Shams Mulani stretches forward but a quicker Saransh Jain breaches his defenses and crashes into the stumps. Shreyas Iyer then walks in at No. 7. He starts positively, nudging Jain past slip and then crashing him over long-on. But the offspinner has the last laugh. He gets one to straighten after pitching. Iyer strides forward, gets a thin outside edge and Upendra Yadav takes a good catch. Central Zone might just go for an outright win here, the way things are shaping uo

He began swiftly, taking on Harsh Dubey, first going over long-on and then depositing him straight over the sight screen. But Gaikwad's innings ends swiftly in 16 with Dubey exacting revenge. He loops up the ball on off and gets it to turn just a touch. Gaikwad pokes at it, gets a thick outside edge with Yash Rathod taking a good catch at slip.

The aggression gets the better of Jaiswal, who has been caught brilliantly by Shubham Sharma at the deep midwicket boundary. Harsh Dubey tosses one up and Jaiswal goes for an agricultural cross-batted swipe. He doesn't get it cleanly and Shubham, sprinting to his right from deep midwicket, completes the catch with a slide.

He started slowly but has quickly raced to his fifty and gets there in 57 balls with a couple of runs down to fine leg off Saransh Jain. And Jaiswal follows it up by waltzing down the track and depositing Jain over long-on. Been a measured innings from the opener. He started slowly but has quickly shifted gears and will eye a century.

It is understood that Desai suffered a right quadriceps injury on his leg on the third morning. He has been replaced by Saurabh Nawale with the consent of the opposition captain, now that the game is almost decided. There is a swelling on Desai's thigh and he has gone for an MRI scan, with the results awaited. Nawale kept wicket from the 84th over till the end of the West Zone innings. He also came in at No. 3 on the final day. He was bowled by Saransh Jain for 9 before lunch.

Jaiswal's back gets some attention from the physio during the drinks break. A few rubs and the magic spray and he goes on the attack soon after reverse-sweeping Harsh Dubey over square leg and then smashing Saransh Jain straight down the ground and into the sight screen. Aarya also thumps Dubey for a straight four.

Saransh Jain picks the first wicket for West Zone, with Aarya running down the track and getting beaten in the flight, only to be stumped for 35. Jaiswal goes on the charge and absolutely smokes Dubey for a huuuuge six straight down the ground.

Nothing to suggest that the West Zone are going for runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal has started sedately, nothing flashy, watching the ball closely and mostly looking to defend. Aarya Desai has collected two fours, one a tickle to fine leg off Yash Thakur and then a punch past point off Khaleel.

Spin is introduced in the form of Harsh Dubey in the ninth over. It's already been a profitable match for Harsh Dubey. He picked three wickets in the first innings and starred with 75 in the second. The allrounder says "a mix of clarity and the right opportunities at the right time" has put his career on the fast track. Here's more on his journey in the last 11 months.

They have nothing to lose, really. Central Zone have more than foot in the Duleep Trophy final. The only slim chance of West Zone making a comeback is to go into T20 mode, wipe off the deficit as quickly as possible and maybe then try and build a lead and give Central a target in the final session. It's far-fetched at the moment, but they have the batters.

Khaleel Ahmed has the new ball for Central Zone, while it is Yash Thakur from the other end.

Yash Thakur's fun is over as Arzan Nagaswalla cleans him up from the around the wicket angle. He gets the ball to pitch on off and deck away late, breaching Thakur's defences and rattling his stumps. With the No. 11 batter Khaleel Ahmed in, Saransh Jain takes his chances. He reaches his half-century and then wallops Jadeja for two successive sixes, one over wide long-on and then over long-off. He also gets a life when wicketkeeper Harvik Desai fluffs a stumping chance.

Nagaswalla, however, ends the innings removing Khaleel caught at point on the second attempt. And that ends Central Zone's innings for 600, a massive lead of 162 runs.

It rained relentlessly in Bengaluru last evening and and that it's an on-time start shows how good the drainage is at BCCI's Centre of Excellence grounds. Central Zone start the day with a 118-run lead. They will now just want to stretch this lead and just bat till they aren't bowled out.

Yash Thakur has started the final day aggressively. Under cloudy skies, West Zone have started with two left-arm spinners, Jadeja and Mulani and Thakur has already hit a flurry of fours. Five fours already in his run-a-ball 21.

Central Zone 556 for 8 (Shubham 96, Upendra 87, Jadeja 4-93) lead West Zone 438 (Gaikwad 184, Kotian 76, Dubey 3-118, Jain 3-121) by 118 runs

Shubham Sharma scored 96, Upendra Yadav 87, Rajat Patidar 77 and Harsh Dubey 75 as Central Zone gained a first-innings lead on day three of the Duleep semi-final against North Zone. They ended the day on 556 for 8 and now have one foot in the final, having secured a first-innings lead of 118 runs. At stumps, Saransh Jain was unbeaten on 37 and had Yash Thakur with him on 4.

West Zone did everything they could, even resorting to giving Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal a bowl, but the Central batters marched on. Three wickets fell in the morning session, and just when West felt they could orchestrate a collapse, Harsh Dubey and Upendra Yadav denied them.

The duo added 134 runs for the sixth wicket, taking Central into the lead. While none of the batters recorded a century, Central will be happy with their effort. For West, Jadeja picked 4 for 101, but there were hardly any other contributions.

Deepak Chahar had an extended throwdown session after the lunch break and he's bringing that to good use. He crunches Mulani for a four down the ground before taking on a Nagwaswalla short ball, pulling him to the adjacent ground. He then sweeps Mulani to the deep square leg fence and then sends him soaring over long-on's head with the ball going out of the ground. Nagwaswalla raps Chahar with a sharp short of a length ball on the glove, which requires the physio's intervention.

Rain has given way to bright sunshine and Upendra Yadav falls right after the 45-minute break. Charges down and looks to hit Shams Mulani straight over his head. But he doesn't get anywhere near the pitch of the ball and ends up dragging it to Shreyas Iyer, who takes a comfortable catch at short midwicket. Upendra falls for 87 but not before taking Central to a position of strength.

The rain has eased and I can spot plenty of blue overhead. Here come the groundstaff to remove the covers. The drainage at BCCI CoE Ground B is excellent and we should see play starting soon, provided it does not rain anymore. The two umpires are also having a look at the outfield with the super sopper doing its bit.

Jadeja floats one outside off and Upendra goes chasing after it, gets a thick outside edge which flies through to Mulani at first slip who spills it after a couple of attempts. That could have been Jadeja's five-for and he is not impressed. Central Zone, meanwhile, continue to score quickly and are nearing 500.

It's suddenly gotten quite dark here at BCCI's CoE. There is a thick band of cloud hanging overhead and the groundstaff is getting ready. Here comes the rain right after West Zone take the new ball and the players are going off.

Upendra Yadav's unbeaten 78 and Harsh Dubey's 75 helped Central Zone take the lead on the third day of the Duleep Trophy semi-final. The duo put on a 134-run stand for the sixth wicket, digging out Central Zone from a sticky situation and into the lead. Jadeja picked four wickets, but it has been hard work for the West bowlers, otherwise.

Dubey crunches two straight boundaries off Nagwaswalla but he falls soon after. It's that man, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, who strikes again, getting rid of Dubey for 75. He gets some extra bounce on a flighted length ball as Dubey jabs at it, gets a thick inside-edge onto pad, which lobs to slip for an easy catch. The Dubey-Upendra partnership ends on 134 but not before taking Central Zone into the lead.

Harsh Dubey takes Central Zone into the lead by pulling Arzan Nagwaswalla down to the fine leg fence. A top effort by these two and Central will now want to push on. The Dubey-Upendra stand is now worth 117 already.

Arzan Nagwaswalla gets his first spell of the day and tests both players with the short ball. Dubey has looked just in a bit of strife against the Deshpande bouncers, but he's handled Nagwaswalla well. Upendra continues to tick along as well. A string of good overs by the West Zone, but no wickets to show for.

It's been a fine, fine knock from Harsh Dubey, as he records a timely half-century off just 62 balls. He's looked really good from the outset, taking the attack to the bowlers and looking very compact. Dubey came into bat with Central in a spot of bother at 322 for 5. But he ensured he wrested any momentum very quickly.

He paddles Kotian fine and swipes Jadeja for a four through deep midwicket to rush into the 40s. When Deshpande went short he hooked him for a four off the front foot and reached his fifty with a four off Kotian to the deep third fence. Apart from a miscommunication in his 30s, which almost resulted in another runout, Dubey has hardly given anything away. Central Zone are now just 11 runs away from taking the lead.

Meanwhile, Mukesh Kumar and Abhimanyu Easwaran, who are watching the game from the sidelines, are having some fun banter with Shreyas Iyer at the long-on boundary.

Central have notched up a gear after lunch and quickly reduced to deficit to under 50. Upendra gets a short ball from Mulani that he goes back and deposits to the deep square leg. He gets a life on 37 when Jadeja induces a thin outside edge to Aarya Desai, who is fielding at close gully on his knees. Desai has three attempts at it but fails to latch on.

Upendra then goes after Mulani in the next over, first lofting him over mid-on for a once-bounce four and then clearing the straight boundary for a huge six. He makes it three boundaries in the over and reaches his fifty off 84 balls with a nudge to the deep square leg fence.

The flurry of wickets hasn't had any effect on Harsh Dubey, who has started swiftly. He worked Shams Mulani to the deep square leg fence and also worked him through midwicket with Tushar Deshpande misfielding. He's already hit five fours in his 26 and is looking quite compact, getting the long strides against the spinners and going back deep into his crease equally well. He has been quite busy, which has rubbed off on Upendra, who has also struck four fours in 26.

Three wickets have fallen this morning, with Jadeja picking two and Shubham run out for 96. Deshpande worked good speeds through the morning, but there isn't much in this surface for the bowlers. Central Zone have scored 129 runs in 36 in the morning session and will want to wipe off the deficit after lunch.

Heartbreak for Shubham Sharma, who is run out for 96 and he has no one but himself to blame. Needless run out. Jadeja tosses one on the fuller side on off. Shubham pushes to mid-on and sets off. Kotian moves swiftly towards the ball, picks cleanly and fires a direct hit at the non-striker's end. Shubham is well short and has to walk back for 96 off 241 balls. He had gone into his shell in the 90s and the over-caution has cost him his wicket.

Upendra Yadav, meanwhile, starts fluently. Has already struck three fours, one each of Thakur, Mulani and Jadeja.

Ruturaj Gaikwad has plucked out an absolute stunner at first slip. Jadeja skids a length ball through at pace outside off, Rathod stays back and looks to force this through covers off the backfoot. He can only manage a thick outside edge that flies through to Gaikwad, who flings out his left hand and hangs on to a blinder.

Two wickets in no time and West Zone are right back in this. A lot rests on Shubham Sharma now, who is unbeaten on 92. Central Zone are 300 for 4 after 85 overs and trail West Zone by 138 runs.

And the fun ends. The aggression gets the better of Patidar and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja strikes like he so often does. Tosses one up and gets the ball to dip on the fuller side. Patidar goes for a sweep, misses and is cleaned up for 77 off 84 balls with his innings including 14 fours. This is a timely wicket for West Zone as Central were running away with the game. Yash Rathod comes in at No. 4.

It's been a four fest at the start of day three, with Rajat Patidar going on the assertive. After lacing Thakur through the covers, he goes after offspinner Kotian, smashing him four fours in an overs. All agricultural shots, sweeps and paddles and the odd nudge. Shubham also continues to get important runs away.

Thakur has had to ring in the changes early. Tushar Deshpande comes into the attack and employs the short-ball tactics, which he did effectively late on day two. Pings Patidar on the midriff with one of the bouncers. "Ek ki baat hai, teen-chaar aa jaega saath me uske baad," shouts Jaiswal. But Central Zone are absolutely rattling along at more than five an over on the third morning.

It's just a little overcast with the sun trying to peek through the clouds, but should be another excellent day for cricket. Rajat Patidar starts off by crunching Thakur through covers and reaches his fifty off just 62 balls. Tanush Kotian starts from the other end and also gets an early boundary away straight down the ground.

Fifties from Danish Malewar and Shubham Sharma and an unbeaten 47 from Rajat Patidar led the way in Central Zone’s strong reply to West Zone’s 438 on the second day of the Duleep Trophy 2024-25 semi-final. They finished day two on 229 for 2, trailing West Zone by 209 runs.

After West Zone lost their last four wickets for just 27 runs in the morning session, Central Zone openers started steadily. Aayush and Malewar added 67 runs for the opening wicket before Shubham and Malewar stitched a 93-run stand for the second wicket. Once Malewar fell caught behind off Jadeja, Patidar walked out and stroked an unbeaten 59-ball 47.

Not a lot went right for the West Zone bowlers with Shardul Thakur going at 4.67 runs an over and Tushar Deshpande at 5.10. Tanush Kotian and Jadeja had the batters in trouble a few times, but the bowling wasn't as consistent as West Zone would have liked.

Another fine fifty from Shubham Sharma, who continues his excellent form, having recorded a century in the previous match. It's been a steady knock from the Central No. 3. Rajat Patidar, at the other end, has already struck six fours in his run-a-ball 32. Nothing extravagant, just looking for the quick singles at every given chance and finding the boundaries whenever a loose ball arrives. No alarms at all so far for Patidar.

With all the pressure building, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja has struck to remove Danish Malewar. A quicker delivery outside off, Malewar gets the tiniest of nicks through to the wicketkeeper Harvik Desai, who hangs on. A vociferous appeal follows and the umpire finally raises his finger. Malewar's solid knock ends on 76 and Rajat Patidar walks out.