Duleep semi-finals: Gaikwad the standout as India's international stars struggle for form

Jaiswal began the semi-final by clipping Khaleel Ahmed to the deep-square leg boundary. But his innings lasted just three balls when Khaleel nipped a length ball sharply back into Jaiswal, who played all around it, and was trapped lbw for 4. He was visibly unhappy with the decision, and was seen talking to the match referee at the end of the opening day.

After a low score in the first innings, Jaiswal started the second cautiously. There weren't any flashy shots or attempts to clear the ropes early. But once he got the hang of the surface, Jaiswal attacked. There was a reverse sweep over point against Harsh Dubey before Jaiswal charged down and smashed the left-arm spinner straight over the sight screen. He scored 64 off 70 balls on the final day, with his innings including three fours and three sixes.

Iyer got an early reprieve in the first innings and started positively, but failed to convert his start into a big score. He struck four fours in his innings of 25 off 28 balls, but was done in by Khaleel's around-the-wicket angle. Iyer tried to run the ball fine towards deep third, but could only manage an inside edge that flattened his middle stump.

In the second innings, Iyer nudged offspinner Saransh Jain past slip, and then waltzed down the track and deposited him into the sightscreen. But he soon fell, edging Jain behind to the wicketkeeper for 12.

Gaikwad's first-innings 184 was the knock of the match. He came in with West Zone on 10 for 2 in the fourth over, with the ball moving around under cloudy skies. Gaikwad was cautious against seamers Deepak Chahar and Khaleel, and then cashed in against the spinners. He accelerated his innings perfectly, reaching his eighth first-class century off just 131 balls. Gaikwad finished on 184 from 206 deliveries, the highlight being a 22-run over against Khaleel, where he struck him for four fours and a six.

In the second innings, Gaikwad hit Dubey for two straight sixes, but fell for 16 after being caught at first slip.

The West Zone captain scored a crucial 64 in the first innings, having an 84-run stand with Tanush Kotian to push the score past 400. Thakur was assertive in his stroke play, hitting seven fours and a six in his 98-ball knock. But his run out on the second morning became the turning point, with West Zone losing their last four wickets for 27 runs.

Thakur's bowling, however, felt flat. He bowled only 11 overs in the first innings, including two maidens, and conceded 42 runs.

Deshpande was the quickest among the fast bowlers. He toiled the most among the West Zone quicks, adopting the short-ball tactic in his later spells, and was also uncomfortable to face. Deshpande hit at least two Central Zone batters on the midriff, and had them ducking and weaving. But all that didn't translate into a wicket.

Patidar was one of six half-centurions in Central Zone's only innings as they piled up 600 to take a first-innings lead and secure a place in the final. Patidar stroked 14 fours in his 77 off 84 balls, and looked fluent throughout. A key feature of his knock was the quick singles he ran to mid-off and mid-on as he raced to a 62-ball fifty. On the third morning, Patidar smashed Kotian for four fours in an over before being cleaned up by Dharmendrasinh Jadeja.

Khaleel bowled with good pace in the first innings, but was expensive, going for 82 runs in 15 overs. He found the right channels on the first morning but couldn't sustain it in the later spells. Gaikwad took Khaleel for 36 runs in 24 balls in the first innings, but Khaleel did remove Jaiswal and Iyer. He bowled just four overs in the second innings, conceding 12 runs.

Chahar had an average outing with the ball. He removed Harvik Desai with an outswinger on the first day, but otherwise seemed ineffective. With the surface not assisting the fast bowlers much, Chahar found it tough and went for 52 runs in 14 overs, managing just one wicket. He did not take the field in the second innings, though he did not look in any visual discomfort.