Mayan Agarwal, Hanuma Vihari, and Tilak Varma disappointed in the Duleep Trophy final as they failed to convert their starts. On day 1, South Zone, batting first on a moist pitch in Bengaluru, finished at 182/7 in a rain-affected match that saw only 65 overs bowled.
Mayank Agarwal (28), Hanuma Vihari (63), and Tilak Varma (40) all got starts but lacked concentration and threw away their wickets.
Last year’s Duleep Trophy final featured Yashasvi Jaiswal’s double hundred, which caught the selectors’ attention. It was a great chance for these players to perform and grab the selectors’ attention. However, Agarwal was dismissed by Atit Seth’s right-arm medium pace while playing a drive on the move.
Varma and Vihari were well set at lunch with the score at 100/2 but missed the opportunity to capitalize.
Varma, recently called up to the T20 squad, looked promising with his aggressive batting but fell after lunch, edging a wide delivery from Arzan Nagwaswalla.
Vihari, aiming to prove himself after being dropped from the national side, displayed authority with his strokes but was bowled by Shams Mulani’s arm ball.
South Zone lost two more wickets, reducing them to 165/6, before tea. Washington Sundar, eyeing a Test return, remained unbeaten at the crease. West Zone’s spinners, Mulani and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, created problems but only Mulani managed to take wickets.
On a rain-interrupted day, South Zone will look to Washington and the lower order to post a competitive total. West Zone spinners will aim to continue their dominance.
Despite the rain, five additional overs were played, allowing Nagwaswalla to claim the wicket of Sai Kishore with a well-directed bouncer.
West Zone holds the advantage after day 1, but South Zone hopes for a strong fightback in the remaining days of the Duleep Trophy final.