• Source:JND
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Mayank Agarwal-led India A clinched the Duleep Trophy 2024 crown in a close encounter against Ruturaj Gaikwad’s India C after taking seven in the final session on Day 4 to claim the third round by 132 runs in Anantapur on Sunday.

India A required a complete victory to usurp India C to top the table, and the Mayank Agarwal-led side successfully defended their 350-run target, dismissing Gaikwad’s India C for 217 runs in the fourth innings. The victory took India A to the top of the points table with a total of 12 points from three matches, crowing them as the eventual winners.

B. Sai Sudharsan with his amazing knock of 111 was in the hunt for a draw for India C with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad playing a supporting role (44). However, this was not enough for India C to win as they were bundled out with shorter than three overs remaining in the day.

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Even a point from the match would have helped Gaikwad’s men to claim the trophy.

Tanush Kotian (3/47) and Prasidh Krishna (3/50) shared six wickets and trumped Sai Sudharsan's valiant 111 as India A defeated India C by 132 runs to win the Duleep Trophy, here on Sunday.

Having entered the final round with six points in two matches and three points behind India C who had nine, the ‘A' team showed incredible resolve from the word go and dominated the final contest of the four-day competition.

Chasing 350 on the final day, India C were shot out for 217 in 81.5 overs with Krishna returning 3/50 from his 13.5 overs including the final wicket of the game, while Kotian sparked a mini-collapse in the opposition ranks.

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The contest was placed interestingly at tea with India C reaching 169 for three in pursuit and Sudharsan going strong and Ishan Kishan at the other end, needing another 182 runs in the final session of around 30 overs.

However, Kotian had Kishan (17) caught behind and accounted for Abhishek Porel (0) in consecutive overs, while also dismissing Pulkit Narang (6) after a short while.

Earlier in the chase, Ruturaj Gaikwad was removed for 44 by Aaquib Khan while Vijaykumar Vyshak was run out for 17. Sudharsan produced a knock of high quality as he struck 12 fours to make 111 from 206 balls but he found no support from the other end whatsoever.

India C's fight petered out eventually when the left-handed Tamil Nadu batter was dismissed in the 78th over by Krishna. While Aaquib ensured a short stay for No 4 Rajat Patidar (7), Kotian's Mumbai teammate Shams Mulani dismissed Manav Suthar to continue making inroads for India A.

Krishna returned for one last crack in the ending stages of the game and the lanky India and Karnataka pacer added two more scalps to his account, dismissing Anshul Kamboj and Tamil Nadu mainstay Baba Indrajith for ducks to seal a huge win for his side.

Earlier in the day, India A declared their innings at 286 for six after batting for just a couple of overs after Riyan Parag (73) and Shashwat Rawat (53) struck respective fifties and wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra scored a vital 42 to help their side extend the overall lead to 349.

(With PTI Inputs)