Duleep Trophy | Jagadeesan and Abhimanyu give India-B a strong beginning

Jagadeesan and Easwaran's partnership leads India-B's fightback against India-C in Duleep Trophy match.

It was as if Jagadeesan had locked up his imperious self from the last Ranji Trophy season, as he played a low-risk and supremely assured knock (67 batting, 126b, 8x4) and added 124 for an unbroken first-wicket stand with skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran (51 batting, 91b, 4x4, 1x6).

The partnership helped India-B mount a fightback in reply to India-C’s mammoth 525 on day two of the second-round Duleep Trophy match at the Rural Development Trust (RDT) Stadium B-ground on Friday.

India-C was hampered, though, as its pace spearhead Sandeep Warrier walked off the field with an apparent injury.

Sandeep ran in to bowl the second ball of his second over and pulled up holding his left leg. The physio was brought out to have a look.

Jagadeesan hit a straight four off medium-pacer Anshul Kamboj and later pulled him for a four to deep backward square leg. He also pulled leg-spinner Mayank Markande for a four to the deep square leg boundary.

The most striking aspect of Jagadeesan’s batting was the way he manoeuvred the ball for quick singles. (26), doubles (3), and even a triple.

Easwaran hit a huge six to cow corner and paddle-swept to fine-leg for a four off left-arm spinner Manav Suthar. He pulled a short delivery off Kamboj for four to deep backward square-leg.