Duleep Trophy | Deshpande, Kotian put West Zone in control
The Indian domestic cricket season began with the Duleep Trophy, where West Zone bowlers Tushar Deshpande and Tanush Kotian dominated North Zone. Meanwhile, East Zone posted a strong total against North East Zone led by Sudip Gharami and Shahbaz Ahmed.
Why it matters
The Duleep Trophy is a premier domestic tournament in India, serving as a key platform for selecting national team talent.
The 2026-27 Indian domestic cricket season opened to some lively action as first-rate four-wicket hauls from Tushar Deshpande (four for 57) and Tanush Kotian (four for 72) helped West Zone dismiss North Zone for 251 on day one of the Duleep Trophy at the BCCI Centre of Excellence here on Sunday.
After opting to bat, North lost openers Yash Dhull and Qamran Iqbal with only 45 on the board but Ayush Badoni (51, 57b, 6x4, 2x6) and Ayush Doseja (42, 110b, 4x4) combined for 72 confident runs. Badoni was indeed reprieved twice, but the Delhi batter impressed with his flicks, pulls and controlled hooks.
However, a middle-order collapse saw North slip from 117 for two to 161 for seven. Deshpande, operating with pace and verve, had Badoni caught behind before bowling Abdul Samad through the gate.
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