Duleep Trophy: Jagadeesan, Gurjapneet take South Zone to final after clinching first innings lead

Bengaluru, Sep 7 (IANS) South Zone have secured a place in the 2025/26 Duleep Trophy final after claiming a crucial first-innings lead in their semi-final against North Zone at the BCCI COE Ground 1 on Sunday.

South Zone’s progression into the final comes on the back of vice-captain and wicketkeeper-batter N Jagadeesan playing knocks of 197 and 52 not out, while pacer Gurjapneet Singh’s incisive spell of 4-96 along with Nidheesh MD’s 3-82 ensured North Zone were bowled out for 361 in 100.1 overs to give his team a lead of 175 runs.

In the morning, South Zone struck quickly as V Koushik castled centurion Shubham Khajuria for 128. After the early setback, Sahil Lotra and Mayank Dagar counterattacked with positive intent to share a partnership of 47 runs off 60 balls. Lotra survived a run-out scare when a direct hit from Jagadeesan narrowly missed the stumps after the duo had a mix-up.

Their stand was eventually broken by Kerala pacer Nidheesh MD, as he castled Lotra and then had Dagar chopping on to his stumps. Spinner Tanay Thyagarajan then accounted for Yudhvir Singh, before Gurjapneet wrapped up the innings by dismissing Auqib Nabi to give South Zone the important lead.

By lunch, openers Jagadeesan and Tanmay Agarwal extended the advantage beyond 200, adding 33 runs in seven overs. But Tanmay fell soon after the break, castled by Auqib Nabi for 13. But Jagadeesan, who earned an India A call-up, continued to be in fluent touch by hitting six boundaries in his free-flowing knock of 52 not out off 69 balls, as South Zone entered the final in a dominating fashion.

Brief Scores: South Zone 536 and 95/1 in 24.2 overs (N Jagadeesan 52 not out; Auqib Nabi 1-23) drew with North Zone 361 in 100.1 overs (Shubham Khajuria 128, Nishant Sindhu 82; Gurjapneet Singh 4-96, Nidheesh MD 3-82)

--IANS

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