Two more days remain before Ajit Agarkar and his selection committee set up a meeting to discuss each of their learnings from the opening round of the 2024 Duleep Trophy and subsequently narrow down on a 15-member list for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh later this month. On the opening day of the domestic red-ball tournament, played in Bengaluru and Anantapur, Axar Patel and Akash Deep were among the players who had impressed to inch closer to sealing their place in the Indian Test squad. However, on Day 2, Agarkar and new India head coach Gautam Gambhir were handed a few too many back-up options, which could come in handy for the team management with a long Test calendar awaiting over the next three months.
Shreyas Iyer’s redemption act
Shreyas Iyer, aiming for a return to the Indian Test squad since being dropped from the side during the England Test series, did not make a decent comeback to red-ball cricket, which included an appearance in the Buchi Babu tournament and a dismissal for nine off 16 in the opening innings for India D on Day 1 of Duleep Trophy 2024. However, on Friday, Iyer put his name back in contention for a middle-order spot after smashing a fiery 39-ball fifty, laced with nine boundaries and a solitary six, as his side secured a 202-run lead over India C at stumps.
It was redemption for Devdutt Padikkal, who made his debut in the Dharamsala Test against England, as well. After being dismissed for a four-ball duck, the left-hander scored a 70-ball 56, while stitching a 69-run stand alongside Iyer.
Agarkar, Gambhir handed more back-ups
One of the key offerings for the Indian team from the Duleep Trophy would be finding a back-up spin and pace option, with the side slated to play 10 Tests over the next three months. In Anantapur, India possibly unearthed two options in left-arm spinner Manav Suthar and fast bowler Harshit Rana as 14 wickets fell on Day 2.
The former, who snared 55 wickets in the last two Ranji Trophy seasons and has been part of India Emerging and India A squads, picked up a five-wicket haul in the final 15 overs of the day, while Rana, who earned his maiden India call-up earlier this summer in the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, finished with 4 for 33, adding to his overnight figure of 2 for 13.
Vijaykumar Vyshak, who was handed a BCCI fast-bowling contract earlier this year, was superb with the new ball, picking two wickets in the opening six overs in India D’s second innings. He had finished with 3 for 19 in the first innings, which included the dismissal of Iyer and Paddikal in the same over with the new ball.
In Bengaluru, Navdeep Saini, who hasn’t played the traditional format in the last seven months and was only named for the Duleep Trophy in the final minutes as a replacement for Mohammed Siraj, produced an all-round brilliance. After scoring a valiant 56 in his 349-minute long vigil as part of an innings-reviving 205-run stand alongside centurion Musheer Khan, he picked up two wickets with the new ball dismissing India A openers Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill.
Who were the flops?
In a nearly similar manner in which Australia’s Scott Boland had dismissed him in the World Test Championship final last year, Saini got rid of Gill after the India No. 3 shouldered arms to an in-ducker which rattled against the off stump. Gill, who has yet to prove himself as a worthy replacement for Cheteshwar Pujara since relinquishing his opening role in the summer of 2023, was left shocked at his dismissal as he was dismissed for just 25 off 36.
KL Rahul did form an unbeaten 68-run stand alongside a confident Riyan Parag for India B, but his knock of 23 off 80 was full of jitters, and he survived a dismissed scare twice in the innings.
