Ruturaj Gaikwad Retires Hurt in Duleep Trophy Match, India C Faces Early Setback
India C captain Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Duleep Trophy campaign took a setback on Thursday when he retired hurt after facing just two balls in their match against India B at the Rural Development Trust Stadium B in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh.
Gaikwad, who is also the captain of the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, twisted his ankle on the second delivery he faced from pacer Mukesh Kumar. He managed to hit a four on the first ball but was forced to leave the field after the injury.
The injury is not considered serious, and Gaikwad is expected to bat in the second innings. However, his early departure put India C on the back foot, as they lost their captain and key batsman early in the innings.
Despite the setback, India C managed to recover with a solid partnership between Sai Sudharsan and Rajat Patidar. Sudharsan scored 43 runs off 75 balls, while Patidar contributed 40 runs from 67 balls. The duo shared a crucial 92-run stand for the second wicket, facing 140 balls in total.
After their promising partnership, both batters were dismissed in quick succession, leaving Ishan Kishan and Baba Indrajith to rebuild the innings.
India B, led by Abhimanyu Easwaran, won the toss and opted to bowl first. They put India C on the back foot early, with Gaikwad’s injury and the dismissals of Sudharsan and Patidar.
However, India C showed resilience and fought back with a solid partnership between Kishan and Indrajith. The duo put on 50 runs for the fourth wicket, helping India C recover from the early setbacks.
The match is evenly poised, with India C looking to build on their recovery and India B aiming to take control of the game.
