Bengaluru to host Duleep Trophy semifinals featuring Patidar, Sooryavanshi
Duleep Trophy semifinals set in Bengaluru
The Duleep Trophy semifinals are scheduled to take place in Bengaluru, with four teams vying for a spot in the final. Defending champions Central Zone will face East Zone, while last year’s runners-up South Zone are set to compete against North Zone. Both Central Zone and South Zone received direct entry into the semifinal stage of the tournament.
East Zone secured their place after a decisive victory over North East Zone in the quarterfinals. Similarly, North Zone advanced following a closely contested quarterfinal match, where left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq played a significant role with his bowling performance.
Central Zone and East Zone prepare for clash
Central Zone enters the semifinals with a strong core of players, including Rajat Patidar, who is leading the team for the second consecutive season. Patidar‘s recent form in the IPL and MP T20 League adds to the team’s strength. Vice-captain Rinku Singh further bolsters the middle order with his experience. The team’s bowling attack is also noted for its depth, featuring a spin combination of Saransh Jain and Harsh Dubey, alongside pace options like Yash Thakur and Zeeshan Ansari.
East Zone, on the other hand, carries momentum from their dominant quarterfinal win. Young player Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is expected to be a key performer. In their quarterfinal match, East Zone defeated North East Zone by an innings and 210 runs. Sudip Gharami and Shahbaz Ahmed of Bengal both scored centuries in that match, with Shahbaz also taking four wickets. Anukul Roy contributed with a five-wicket haul in the second innings, and Abhijit Sarkar finished with six wickets overall.
East Zone captain Ishan Kishan provides experience and leadership to the batting lineup, which also includes Abhimanyu Easwaran, known for his First-Class pedigree. Sooryavanshi, despite a modest batting performance in the quarterfinal, has shown potential to impact the game from the top order.
Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi recently discussed his bowling performance in East Zone‘s opening match against North East Zone. He emphasized his enjoyment of bowling and humorously noted that captain Ishan Kishan might not have initially realized his capabilities as a “wicket-taker.” Sooryavanshi, who was named East Zone vice-captain for the tournament, made an impact with the ball in the second innings, taking two wickets in a three-over spell during the team’s victory.
In a video shared by BCCI Domestic, Sooryavanshi stated that batters often enjoy bowling as much as bowlers enjoy batting. He recounted that Kishan brought him into the attack when East Zone needed a breakthrough. Sooryavanshi dismissed Kishan Lyngdoh, who was caught at deep covers, and then got left-handed batter Imliwati Lemtur to edge behind, with Kishan taking the catch. The youngster from Bihar mentioned that he focused on bowling as well as he could within his allotted three overs. Although his batting performance in that match was modest, scoring eight runs, he found satisfaction in contributing with the ball, noting the enjoyment a batter gets from taking a wicket. Sooryavanshi now has four wickets in First-Class cricket.
South Zone and North Zone face off
Last year’s runners-up, South Zone, are led by new captain Tilak Varma. Their batting unit includes experienced players such as Ricky Bhui, Narayan Jagadeesan, and Karun Nair. Nair‘s experience in high-pressure situations is expected to be valuable, while Jagadeesan has been a consistent run-scorer in domestic cricket. The team’s bowling options include Shreyas Gopal and left-arm spinner Tanay Thyagarajan, with Vidwath Kaverappa providing pace.
North Zone enters the semifinal with confidence, having overcome West Zone by 52 runs in a tight quarterfinal. However, their selection choices have drawn attention, specifically the decision to omit Sanat Sangwan, the team’s third-highest run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy, in favor of former India U-19 World Cup-winning captain Yash Dhull. Dhull struggled against West Zone‘s pace attack, scoring nine and a duck, while Sangwan was on the sidelines. Despite this, North Zone ultimately relied on Abid Mushtaq, whose match figures of 9/99 were crucial in challenging West Zone‘s batters.
North Zone may also consider changes to their pace attack, with Sunil Kumar potentially making way for India pacer Gurnoor Brar. Brar has shown impressive form, taking 10 wickets in an unofficial second Test against Sri Lanka A in Galle and performing well against England in ODIs. The team also possesses batting firepower, with vice-captain Ayush Badoni scoring fifties in both innings against West Zone. Abdul Samad adds power to the lineup, and Anshul Kamboj contributes with both runs and wickets. The semifinal between South Zone and North Zone is anticipated to be a compelling contest between experience and momentum. The final of the Duleep Trophy is scheduled to begin on September 6.
Source: m.rediff.com
