On the second day of the Duleep Trophy final round robin league match, India D established a commanding position over India B, thanks to Sanju Samson’s century and Arshdeep Singh’s impressive bowling performance.
India D resumed their first innings at 306 for 5, with Samson continuing his impressive form. The talented batsman reached his 11th first-class hundred, scoring 106 off 101 deliveries, including 12 boundaries and three sixes. However, India D’s innings ended shortly after Samson’s milestone, with the last five wickets falling for 43 runs. Delhi speedster Navdeep Saini was the wrecker-in-chief, claiming 5 for 74 in 18.3 overs.
In response, India B began their innings cautiously, with skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran leading the charge. Easwaran, who had scored a century in the previous game, notched up his 25th first-class hundred, a 170-ball knock adorned with 13 fours and a six. However, India B’s progress was halted by Arshdeep Singh, who returned for his second spell with a slightly older SG Test ball.
Arshdeep struck twice in quick succession, dismissing Musheer Khan and Nitish Reddy cheaply. He then accounted for the prized wicket of Suryakumar Yadav, who had been eagerly anticipated by the crowd. With India B reeling at 100 for 5, Easwaran and Washington Sundar (39 batting) steadied the ship, adding 105 runs for the sixth wicket.
However, Easwaran’s dismissal towards the end of the day, caught behind off Aditya Thakare, left India B in a precarious position at 210 for 6. The match remains evenly poised heading into the third day, with India B needing to bat cautiously to avoid a heavy defeat.
