Duleep Trophy: Abishek Porel keeps for India C in the game after India A dominate morning session

ANANTAPUR: The second day of the Duleep Trophy match between India-A and India-C proved as interesting as the first. At the end of it, India-C was 216 for seven in its innings, replying to India-A’s 297.

But for a fine innings from Abishek Porel 82 (113b, 9x4), India-C’s deficit would have been bigger. He played strokes around the park until he decided to step out against Shams Mulani, only to sky a catch towards mid-off.

It was his fifth-wicket stand with Baba Indrajith that steadied the innings – from 41 for four. When their partnership was worth 86, Indrajith, who was batting on 34 (61b, 5x4), got injured while going for a run and had to retire hurt.

For India A, 20-year-old seamer Aaqib Khan derailed India-C’s innings, taking two wickets with his first two balls.

He had Ruturaj Gaikwad edging to the ‘keeper Kumar Kushagra with a ball that moved slightly away and then getting one to dart in and uprooting Rajat Patidar’s off-stump.

Earlier, India-A resumed the day at 224 for seven. Centurion Shashwat Rawat’s hopes of a bigger hundred were dashed by Vyshak Vijayakumar, who knocked off the left-hander’s off stump with a fuller delivery that shaped away a little.

The Karnataka impressed with a spell of four for 51.

The eighth-wicket stand between Rawat (124, 250b, 15x4) and Avesh Khan (51 not out, 68b, 5x4, 4x6) raised 90, the highest of the innings. The pacer also put on 42 for the ninth wicket with Prasidh Krishna (34, 39b, 7x4).

He seemed to enjoy his batting, scoring his second fifty in First Class cricket, off 67 balls, with a six off Gaurav Yadav over long-on. Agencies

Also Read: Duleep Trophy: Another duck for Shreyas Iyer but Sanju Samson steals the show

Also Watch: