Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh) [India], September 20 (ANI): The cricketing drama unfolded dramatically in the third round of the Duleep Trophy in Anantapur, as Shreyas Iyer’s struggles persisted, but Sanju Samson’s inspired innings revived India D’s prospects against India B.

Sanju Samson, who ended the opening day on an impressive 89*, continued his stellar performance by achieving a splendid century. His aggressive batting saw him quickly reach the century mark before he was dismissed by Navdeep Saini, leaving a significant impact on the game.

In response, India B’s captain Abhimanyu Easwaran emerged as a lone warrior for his side. While other batters faltered, Easwaran’s gritty knock of 116 kept India B in contention, striving to match India D’s formidable score of 349.

The pressure was palpable when Musheer Khan and Suyash Prabhudessai failed to deliver, turning the spotlight on Suryakumar Yadav, who was making his return to Test cricket. Yadav faced just 15 deliveries, managing to hit a boundary before being taken out by the in-form pacer Arshdeep Singh.

Easwaran, too, couldn’t sustain his fight for long. Attempting a hook shot, he was dismissed by Aditya Thakare after reaching 116, with the ball seemingly deflecting off his arm guard. Washington Sundar provided a late flourish with an unbeaten 39*, helping India B to stabilize at 210/6 by the end of the day.

Meanwhile, in another match, India C’s top-order collapse saw them struggling at 216/7. Despite restricting India A to 297, thanks to Avesh Khan’s resilient 51*, India C’s key batsmen like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, and Ishan Kishan couldn’t capitalize on their opportunities.

Aaqib Khan wreaked havoc on India C’s batting lineup, removing Gaikwad (17), Sudharsan (17), and Patidar (for a golden duck) early on. Following Avesh Khan’s dismissal of Ishan Kishan, Abishek Porel stepped up with an impressive comeback for India C. Drawing on his IPL 2024 experience with the Delhi Capitals, Porel struck a valuable 82 off 113 deliveries.

However, Shams Mulani cut Porel’s innings short, once again putting India C in a precarious position. In the closing stages, Pulkit Narang and Vyshak Vijay Kumar rose to the occasion. Their unbeaten 49-run partnership ensured that India C ended the day at 216/7, keeping their hopes alive.

This thrilling day of cricket highlighted standout performances and crucial partnerships that kept both matches delicately poised heading into the next day’s play.