Duleep Trophy 2024/25, IND-A vs IND-B First Match Report, September 05 – 08, 2024

India B 134 for 2 (Mayank 36, Parag 27*, Saini 2-36) rout India A 321 (Musheer 181, Saini 56, Akash Deep 4-60, Khaleel 2-54) by 187 runs

Rahul was a work in denial after getting lucky twice. Still at zero, it would have been Saini’s third wicket when he almost dragged the ball onto the stumps while attempting a loose drive. Then in the 3rd over, he was again welcomed by Nitish Kumar Reddy at third slip after challenging Mukesh Kumar. Rahul scored his first runs in his 14th over and it wasn’t until the end of the day, when he produced a beautiful cut point behind Reddy’s point, that he finally came into his own.

Rahul’s methods also had something to do with the impressive swing that Saini and left-arm seamer Yash Dayal were able to achieve. In any case, having been on the field for the better part of the game, there could not have been a greater endorsement of the middle-order’s match-worthiness as he looks to return to the Indian Test squad.

Parag looked pretty good, although he was occasionally bothered by the slow motion on offer. He survived an early shout from Reddy when the ball bent and hit him high on the back leg. Like Rahul, Parag is a stroke maker but his willingness to show fight and deviate from his natural game was an encouraging sign.

There were some very unsatisfactory signs from India A, such as the tactics used by their captain. Taking the new ball at the first available opportunity at the start of the 81st over, Gill spread his field to both Musheer and No.9 batsman Saini. This not only limited the bowlers’ ability to apply pressure, but also helped India B push their total to a much higher level.

After Musheer initially denied himself chances to score runs trying to farm the strike, he was encouraged by Saini’s ability to control himself. The pair, however, got lucky when they engaged in a hilarious mix-up that did not result in a wicket. Both the batsmen were locked in the middle of the field facing each other in the fourth over of the day, the 83rd innings, after Musheer pushed the ball to point. Khaleel Ahmed, who could have bowled anywhere, eventually took the strike and missed Saini who had thrown in the towel for a long time.

When Musheer opened up to take all the runs available, Gill tried to confuse him with a leg slip. Musheer responded by hooking Avesh Khan for a six, then followed it up with a superb pull before square for a boundary in the same over. Along the way, Musheer also used DRS smartly to waste two decisions – one lbw and one caught behind.

Musheer brought up his 150 off 326 balls when an overturn allowed the second run with no support. It summed up the state of play at the time, with India A lacking ideas. Soon after the landmark, Musheer launched Parag for a six-over midwife to signal a change in intentions.

But the double-ton was not to be as he fell in the second over after lunch, a ball after he swept Kuldeep Yadav through the roof at deep midwicket. Two of Musheer’s three first-class hundreds are now scores of 150 and above. This one, like the others, worked to regain his maturity and hunger at the age of 19.