Duleep Trophy: Devdutt Padikkal’s off-side play only silver lining for India D

Devdutt Padikkal’s (92, 124b, 15×4) refreshing off-side artistry was the lone sparkle from the India D dugout on an otherwise day of mediocrity against India A in the Duleep Trophy round two fixture in Anantapur.

After seamer Harshit Rana deprived overnight star Shams Mulani (89) of his maiden First-Class century and bound India A to 290 with back-to-back wickets, India D were subjected to early jitters against the new ball.

Atharva Taide and captain Shreyas Iyer were rendered ineffective against Khaleel Ahmed’s seam and swing, falling within 10 deliveries of the left-armer’s opening spell. Walking in at 6 for 2, Padikkal effortlessly settled the nerves with composed responses to tough inspections off full and short-pitched deliveries. The Karnataka batsman has had a stop-start career across formats over the last three seasons. But when he pressed forward to drive Khaleel past a fumbling mid-off fielder on the second ball, Padikkal was getting onto something.

Tea on Day 2!

An action-packed session.

97 runs scored. 6 wickets taken

India A have bowled India D out for 183 and taken a 107-run lead.

Devdutt Padikkal scored a solid 92(124).#DuleepTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank

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— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 13, 2024

His feet looked assured as he rocked back and forth with assurance. He picked up the lengths early and tempered the strength of his top hand when he smeared fours through third man, square and the cover region over three hours.

Padikkal’s deficiency to incoming deliveries has been well documented as his lanky frame often opened up to balls that skidded onto his pads and stumps. The 24-year-old crouched appreciably lower on Friday, countering and directing balls from that angle through third man for four boundaries to set up his knock. When Khaleel’s inconsistent lines began to err, Padikkal’s smooth drives and back-foot cuts sped to the point and deep cover fences.

The left-hander’s wagon wheel displayed a sign of rare dominance amidst the flash-bang around him, with 70 percent of his runs coming through the off-side. His first boundary on the leg-side — a flick to the mid-wicket fence — came only off the 75th delivery, a ball after he got to his second successive fifty in the tournament.

Padikkal soon began to relish his flicks and jabs in the half as he coursed forward amidst the middle-order ruins. But a returning Prasidh Krishna’s incisive variations snapped the southpaw’s focus. Impressing with his lengths and pace in his first game in eight months, Prasidh peppered his young statemate with deliveries onto the ribs before gently shaping the ball across, finding the feather to the wicket-keeper from a half-hearted forward push. While Harshit’s boisterous hits jotted quick runs, India D were halted at 183 in their first essay, conceding a massive 107-run lead.

Watch 📽️

Devdutt Padikkal’s solid knock of 92(124) 💪🔽#DuleepTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBankhttps://t.co/ofMlNjnfCM

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 13, 2024

Rubbing salt into the wounds, Mayank Agarwal’s India A swiftly swelled the lead over 200 as the skipper and his opening partner Pratham Singh punished the lethargic D unit within 28 overs. While both openers raised their fifties, Shreyas Iyer’s improbable punt to roll his arm over had Agarwal offer a regulation caught-and-bowled dismissal, signalling stumps.

Iyer, Samson disappoint

But Iyer had a rather fateful stint at the crease in the morning session of the day. Walking in after Taide was adjudged leg-before as he shouldered arms to Khaleel’s nip-backer in the first over, a tentative Iyer struggled to keep the left-arm seamer off his toes.

Sporting shades under the grille in a new avatar, Iyer’s wavy feet readied for the short delivery before Khaleel swung the ball in on the full. Iyer’s late adjustment to shield his pads ended up in the hands of the mid-on fielder, a tame chip snaffling the India D captain for a seven-ball duck. Sanju Samson, Iyer’s teammate from the under-19 days, found his first knock upon return to competitive action reduced to six deliveries.

Pacers Khaleel Ahmed & Aaqib Khan have impressed so far for India A with 2⃣ wickets each!

Watch 📽️ all the 4⃣ India D wickets to fall in the morning session on Day 2 🔽#DuleepTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank

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— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 13, 2024

Both batters showed minimal resolve to wear down the seamers — with spotless defence or blunting the cherry with finesse. Samson slashed medium-pacer Aaqib Khan aerially over the backward point fielder for four off his second delivery. In Khan’s next over, Samson pre-empted a heave down the ground off an expectant short delivery. The ball went nowhere as it lobbed up to Prasidh at mid-on, exemplifying the holes in Samson’s limited First-Class game time (seven matches) over the last four seasons.

Runs galore at Anantapur

Meanwhile, in the other fixture at the Anantapur Cricket Ground’s ‘B’ venue, runs continued to be served on a platter as India C mounted a hefty 525 against India B. Carrying on from Ishan Kishan’s Day 1 century, all-rounder Manav Suthar (82) shone yet again as he shepherded the lower-order after captain Ruturaj Gaikwad’s half-century (58).

Runs continued to flow at the venue as India B propped up a riposte, with captain Abhimanyu Easwaran and N Jagadeesan’s half-centuries leading the team unscathed to stumps.

Brief Scores: India A 290 all out (Shams Mulani 89; Harshit Rana 4/51) and 115/1 (Prathan Singh 59 batting, Mayank Agarwal 55) vs India D 183 all out (Devdutt Padikkal 92, Khaleel Ahmed 3/39)
India B 524 all out (Ishan Kishan 111, Manav Suthar 82) vs India D 124 for no loss (Abhimanyu Easwaran 51 batting, N Jagadeesan 67 batting)

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