Jagadeesan’s Brilliant 197 Guides South Zone Past 500
Narayan Jagadeesan narrowly missed a double hundred but powered South Zone to a strong 536 in the Duleep Trophy semi-final against North Zone on Friday. The Tamil Nadu batter scored a gritty 197, setting up an imposing first innings total.
Jagadeesan’s Dominant Knock
Starting the day at 297 for three, South Zone batted almost the entire second day and added 239 runs. Jagadeesan anchored the innings with 197 off 352 balls, hitting 16 fours and three sixes. He was unfortunately run-out, falling three runs short of a well-deserved double century.
“You don’t take someone like Sanju Samson as a reserve,” Gavaskar told a group of journalists. “If he’s part of your core team, he should be playing. He can slot in at No.3, or if needed, lower down as a finisher.”
The South skipper Mohammed Azharuddeen fell early, dismissed for 11 by India pacer Anshul Kamboj. Ricky Bhui (54 off 131) provided support but struggled to accelerate. Their partnership of 87 runs for the fifth wicket consumed 194 deliveries.
Jagadeesan’s run-out came in unfortunate fashion when Bhui sold a dummy, leaving him stranded. Despite this setback, South Zone continued to pile runs.
Sindhu’s Five-Wicket Haul
Left-arm spinner Nishant Sindhu bowled tirelessly to claim 5/125 in 47.2 overs, keeping North Zone in the contest. He dismissed Bhui, who edged meekly to rival skipper Ankit Kumar.
In the post-lunch session, Bhui briefly counter-attacked, striking off-spinner Sahil Lotra for a four and a six. However, Sindhu’s persistence earned the breakthrough.
Late Resistance Takes South Past 500
Hyderabad’s Tanay Thyagarajan (58 off 116) played a vital knock, adding a crucial 63-run partnership with Tamil Nadu pacer Gurjapneet Singh (29 off 81). Their effort pushed South Zone past the 500-run mark before being bowled out for 536 in 169.2 overs.
North Zone now face the challenge of chasing 537 over two days to secure a berth in the Duleep Trophy final.
Brief Scores
South Zone 1st Innings: 536 in 169.2 overs (Narayan Jagadeesan 197, Tanay Thyagarajan 58, Nishant Sindhu 5/125) vs North Zone.
Stay tuned for all the latest Match Predictions, Fantasy Tips, Cricket updates, match highlights, player analysis, and viral moments!