Live Blog - Honours even as bad light and rain ends first day early

East Zone's left-arm spinner Manishi's three-wicket haul and North Zone's Ayush Badoni's quick fifty headlined the opening day of the season-opener 2024-25 Duleep Trophy at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

East Zone bowled first on a murky morning but there was hardly any swing for either Mohammed Shami or Mukesh Kumar. With Shubman Gill not available, Ankit Kumar captained North Zone and opened the batting alongside Shubham Khajuria. They started well but Manishi picked three wickets, all lbw before lunch to dent North.

Yash Dhull and Ayush Badoni stitched a 67-run stand for the third wicket and Badoni then added 61 runs for the fourth wicket with Nishant Sindhu. But the North batters were guilty of wasting starts. Badoni struck seven fours in his 63 off 60 balls, while Sindhu struck 47.

For East, Manishi picked three wickets and Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Mohammed Shami and Mukhtar Hussain picked one wicket each. At stumps, North were 308 for 6 with Kanhaiya Wadhawan unbeaten on 42 and Mayank Dagar having smashed around 28 off just 22 balls.

After toiling all day, Mohammed Shami finally has something to show for in the wickets column in his fourth spell. He gets rid of Sahil Lotra, whose patient 19 comes to an end after 48 balls. Shami has easily looked the most penetrative of the fast bowlers all day, often beating the bat and drawing the false shots. He should have had Kanhaiya Wadhwan caught down the leg side, but Kushagra dropped a relatively straightforward chance. But soon after got Lotra.

It was a standard length ball outside off stump and Lotra, who had been patient till now, went for a waft, only to drive a thick edge which was taken comfortably by Kushagra. Mayank Dagar has come in and swished his bat around, while there are also some thick clouds hanging above, which are keeping the ground staff interested.

It's been a bit sedate since the tea break, with both Wadhwani and Lotra biding their time. The one good news from the East Zone camp is that Mukesh Kumar is bowling and seems to be doing it without any visual discomfort. He is still clutching his hamstring from time to time, but seems to be bowling freely.

Apart from a few close run-out chances, Wadhawan and Lotra have looked decently solid. Wadhawan has struck three fours so far during his knock, while Lotra has been more watchful.

Another partnership broken, another set batter departs and North Zone continue to slide. It's been the case all through the day. Just when a batter seems to be set, he falls playing a rash shot. Nishant Sindhu, this time, who gets dismissed playing a nothing shot. Wafts at a Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal length ball well outside off and can only manage a thick outside edge through to the 'keeper.

Sindhu looked really solid till the time he was out in the middle. He hit four fours and two sixes during his 47 off 70 balls, but his wicket has now opened the door really wide for East Zone. Sahil Lotra joins Kanhaiya Wadhawan in the middle.

He went through the paces with the physio on the sidelines during the drinks break after lunch. Running, stretching, and seemed to be doing it comfortably. And after a while, he is back on the field, which is excellent news for East Zone. Meanwhile, Akash Deep and Mayank Yadav are also on the sidelines watching the North vs East game. They ask Mukesh about his fitness and then go on to have a word with Arshdeep Singh.

A dismissal out of nowhere, really. Badoni was looking immovable, but a nonchalant short of a length delivery down leg has brought about his downfall. Mukhtar, who has been expensive all day, extracted a bit more bounce on a short delivery down leg. Badoni went for a pull, but could only glove it to wicketkeeper Kumar Kushagra, who took a simple catch. Badoni struck seven fours in his 60-ball 63.

Ayush Badoni has looked in pristine touch so far this innings, easily the best batter on show. He's struck seven fours during his knock and raises his fifty at just a tick over run-a-ball. He has particularly been aggressive against Manishi and Mukhtar Hussain, hitting three fours each against the duo. But, it's not just his boundary-hitting that's shone. When Dhull was around, Badoni was rotating the strike really well, and with Nishant Sindhu as well, he's made sure to run the quick singles. Badoni didn't have the greatest of DPL 2025, and will want to make amends here with a big one.

Some injury concerns for Mukesh Kumar right after the lunch break. He seems to be struggling with the footholes on the far end of the ground and immediately calls for assistance midway through his eighth over. He bowls one more ball before walking off clutching his hamstring - after the fifth ball of his eighth over and 37th of the innings. He is walking gingerly and seems to be telling the physio something about his delivery stride. This could be detrimental for East Zone, who, barring Manishi, haven't really hit their straps. Utkarsh Singh completes his over.

Three dismissals, three lbws for Manishi, who is proving to be the difference in this East Zone attack, which has otherwise not always been on point. For the longest time, Yash Dhull and Ayush Badoni steadied North Zone, and it seemed they would go to lunch unscathed before Manishi hit again to remove Dhull, was was looking solid.

Very similar to the earlier dismissals. Flatter, skiddy length ball on the stumps, Dhull looked for an expansive shot off the backfoot, but was beaten for pace and the ball thudded into his pad. The umpire had no hesitation to give that out and he goes back for 39 off 67 balls with four fours and two sixes in his knock.

Before his dismissal, Dhull and Badoni added a 67-run stand for the third wicket in quick time. They were positive in their approach, looked to pick off the runs against the quicks and were particularly aggressive against Manishi. Dhull struck the left-arm spinner for 22 runs off 23 balls, while Badoni scored 9 off 8 against him.

Shami bowled eight overs on the first morning; five in his first spell and three in the second. His pace was average at best, but he bowled tightly, only conceding one four early in his spell. While Manishi went for 40 off his seven overs, he picked all three wickets to fall. Badoni has meanwhile looked solid. He's only struck three fours in his run-a-ball 36 but has been very proactive.

At lunch, North Zone are 139 for 3 after 34 overs
Badoni 36*, Nishant Sindhu 1*

The left-arm spinner has done it again, and this is turning out to be a really good morning for Manishi. The Jharkhand lad is a traditional left-arm orthodox spinner, in the mould of Saurabh Kumar. Nice, no-fuss rhythmic action and a smooth delivery stride. Gets Khajuriya lbw as well. Was a quicker length delivery from around the wicket that skidded through quickly. Khajuria went for the flick, missed and was trapped in front.

Dhull has meanwhile been a mix of caution and controlled aggression. He's been stepping out of his crease to the pacers, which even saw the wicketkeeper Kanhaiya Wadhawan stand up to the stumps against Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal. he unleashed a lovely backfoot punch past point against Jaiswal before waltzing down the track against Manishi, once over mid-on and the once over mid-off, the second one going all the way.

Ayush Badoni has joined Dhull in the middle.

Ankit Kumar was going the aggressive route against the right-arm pace of Mukhtar Hussain, but the spin of Manishi has landed East Zone the first blow. He went around the wicket to Ankit, who having hit three fours against Mukhtar earlier was looking to go big from the get-go. He attempted the sweep, but Manishi got the ball to skid through quickly and rapped the North Zone captain on the pad and bang in front.

Yash Dhull has walked in at No. 3. He had an excellent Delhi Premier League, but will have to quickly switch to red-ball cricket. He has started well here, long strides against the spinners, getting nicely behind the line to the quicks.

North Zone 52 for 1 after 17 overs | Khajuriya: 17; Dhull: 2

Mohammed Shami, who is trying to make his way back to the Indian side, took the new ball. He was still trying to work his way through in the first spell. While the speeds were average at best, he bowled tight lines, not giving much to both openers, Khajuriya and Ankit. He bowled five overs in the first spell, conceding ten runs and bowled two maidens.

Khajuriya and Ankit have been watchful, but not reckless at any stage. They haven't chased too many balls outside the off stump and left the ball well. Khajuriya struck two crisp fours while Ankit has also managed two.