Duleep Trophy semifinals | Tilak and Shreyas put South in front; Central and East cancel each other out
South Zone finished the second day of the Duleep Trophy semifinal in a strong position thanks to a 175-run partnership between Tilak Varma and Shreyas Gopal. Despite an early collapse caused by Gurnoor Brar's bowling, Varma's patient century helped stabilize the team.
Why it matters
The Duleep Trophy is a significant domestic cricket tournament in India that serves as a platform for players to showcase talent for national selection.
South Zone weathered a blistering early morning bowling effort from India pacer Gurnoor Brar (four for 70) to finish day two of the Duleep Trophy semifinal 90 runs in the green at the BCCI Centre of Excellence here on Monday.
From an overnight 40 for two, South was reduced to 80 for five. But skipper Tilak Varma played all day (106 batting, 225b, 7x4), and combined with Shreyas Gopal (87, 169b, 11x4) for an excellent, match-turning 175-run partnership.
If not for a flurry of wickets towards close – from 255 for five to 270 for nine – South would have been in a healthier position. Nevertheless, with Tilak still around, South can hope to turn the screw further on day three, starting from 285 for nine.
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