Image: South Zone ends day 1 in command against North Zone / © ESPNcricinfo
The Duleep Trophy 2025-26 semi-finals roared to life on September 4, 2025, as South Zone locked horns with North Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground in Bengaluru. By the time stumps were called, South Zone had seized control, posting a commanding 297 for 3 in 81 overs. North Zone, having won the toss and chosen to bowl, found themselves chasing shadows as South Zone’s batsmen, led by a rock-steady Narayan Jagadeesan and a sparkling Devdutt Padikkal, made the most of a pitch that turned into a batsman’s ally as the day unfolded.
The morning began under a brilliant Bengaluru sun, with North Zone’s captain, Ankit Kumar, opting to field first, banking on early moisture to give his bowlers an edge. It was a bold call, backed by a potent attack featuring pacers Anshul Kamboj, Auqib Nabi, and Yudhvir Singh, with spinners Nishant Sindhu and Mayank Dagar ready to turn the screws. But South Zone’s openers, Tanmay Agarwal and Narayan Jagadeesan, had other ideas. They walked out with a clear plan, see off the new ball, respect the good stuff, and build a foundation for a big total.
Tanmay Agarwal, a batsman who thrives on grit, was all business from the start. He left balls outside off with the precision of a surgeon, waiting patiently for anything loose to dispatch with crisp drives. Jagadeesan, the wicketkeeper-batsman, played the perfect sidekick, nudging singles and twos to keep the scoreboard ticking. North Zone’s pacers came out firing but couldn’t find their rhythm. Kamboj, all energy and bounce, let himself down with four no-balls in his 15 overs. Nabi bowled a tidy maiden but struggled to build pressure, while Singh’s six no-balls and a wide handed South Zone free runs, much to the frustration of the North Zone fielders.
By lunch, South Zone had cruised to 80 for no loss after 25 overs, with Agarwal on 38 and Jagadeesan on 34. The pitch, which had a hint of early life, settled into a flat track, offering little to the bowlers. North Zone turned to Nishant Sindhu’s left-arm spin in the 20th over, hoping to break the openers’ rhythm. Sindhu bowled with guile, keeping things tight at 2.95 runs per over, but Agarwal and Jagadeesan stood firm, refusing to give an inch as the session ended.
The game shifted gears after lunch when Sindhu finally broke through in the 31.3rd over. Agarwal, on 43 off 99 balls, got a touch adventurous, driving at a fuller ball and nicking it to the slips. His five boundaries had set a solid tone, but at 103 for 1, North Zone had a glimmer of hope. Enter Devdutt Padikkal, fresh off a sizzling domestic season, and the game tilted firmly back in South Zone’s favor. Padikkal brought flair to the crease, his cover drives flowing like poetry and his footwork against pace and spin a masterclass in confidence.
The second session was a treat for cricket purists, with Jagadeesan and Padikkal piling on a 128-run stand for the second wicket. Jagadeesan played the anchor, soaking up deliveries with a calm head, while Padikkal went on the attack. He took a particular liking to Yudhvir Singh, who bled runs at 4.40 per over, including a couple of gorgeous boundaries through the off-side. Padikkal raced to a 62-ball fifty, his seven fours a showcase of timing and elegance. But just as he looked poised for a big one, Kamboj struck, drawing an edge to wicketkeeper Kanhaiya Wadhawan in the 59.2nd over. Padikkal’s 57 off 71 balls ended at 231 for 2, but South Zone were in the driver’s seat.
Jagadeesan, unruffled by the loss, kept his eyes on the prize, reaching a superb century soon after tea. His innings was a thing of beauty, blending steely defense with moments of flair. He was lethal square of the wicket, cutting and driving with pinpoint accuracy. His 13 fours and two sixes had North Zone’s fielders scrambling, and his clever rotation of the strike kept South Zone humming along at 3.66 runs per over. Jagadeesan’s unbeaten 148 off 260 balls was the heartbeat of the innings, a knock that screamed class and cemented his reputation as a domestic heavyweight.
Post-tea, Mohit Kale joined Jagadeesan but couldn’t make his mark. Keen to stamp his authority, Kale scratched out 15 off 35 balls before Sindhu struck again in the 67.6th over, with Wadhawan snaffling another catch. At 259 for 3, South Zone’s captain, Mohammed Azharuddeen, strode out. Azharuddeen played it safe, focusing on survival over fireworks. His unbeaten 11 off 35 balls, without a boundary, showed his intent to bat through to stumps alongside the immovable Jagadeesan.
North Zone’s bowlers grafted all day but couldn’t find the killer blow. Nishant Sindhu was the standout, finishing with 2 for 59 in 20 overs, including a maiden. His ability to spin the ball and bowl a tight line made him North Zone’s go-to man. Kamboj, with 1 for 47, showed flashes of brilliance but was let down by inconsistency. Nabi and Singh toiled without reward, while Mayank Dagar had a day to forget, leaking 44 runs in seven overs at 6.28 as South Zone’s batsmen targeted him. Sahil Lotra and Ayush Badoni were barely used, with Badoni’s single over going for eight runs.
As the sun set, South Zone stood tall at 297 for 3 after 81 overs. Jagadeesan’s unbeaten 148 and Azharuddeen’s 11 not out left them in a commanding position, with firepower like Ricky Bhui and Vasuki Koushik still to come. North Zone, licking their wounds, would need to come out swinging on day two to remove Jagadeesan and stem the tide. The pitch, now a batsman’s paradise, had tongues wagging about North Zone’s decision to bowl first, as South Zone looked primed to pile on the runs.
South Zone’s dominance owed everything to Jagadeesan’s marathon effort and Padikkal’s electric fifty, which set the tone for a near-perfect day. North Zone’s bowlers fought hard but were undone by 23 extras, including 14 no-balls, and a lack of cutting edge. As the teams gear up for day two, South Zone will look to tighten their grip, while North Zone will pray for early breakthroughs to keep the semi-final alive. The stage is set for a cracking contest, with South Zone holding all the cards after a masterful opening day.
When the moment called for a hero, Narayan Jagadeesan answered with a breathtaking display in South Zone’s first innings. The wicketkeeper-batsman stood like a colossus, unbeaten on 148 off 260 balls with a strike rate of 56.92. His knock, studded with 13 fours and two sixes, was a masterclass in patience and panache. Jagadeesan’s 128-run stand with Devdutt Padikkal, who blazed 57, was the backbone of the innings.
Despite losing Tanmay Agarwal (43) and Mohit Kale (15) to Nishant Sindhu, Jagadeesan held firm, steering South Zone to 297 for 3 in 81 overs at 3.66 runs per over. Against a probing attack led by Sindhu (2 wickets) and Kamboj (1 wicket), his composure shone through. Jagadeesan’s knack for finding gaps and keeping the board ticking, capped by an unbeaten stand with Mohammed Azharuddeen (11*), ensured South Zone ended the day in total control.
On a day when South Zone’s batsmen called the shots, Nishant Sindhu stood out as North Zone’s warrior, earning the TCNI Hero of the Day nod. The left-arm spinner bowled a marathon 20 overs, giving away just 59 runs at a stingy 2.95. His disciplined bowling rattled South Zone’s star-studded lineup, snaring two key wickets.
Sindhu broke the 103-run opening stand by dismissing Tanmay Agarwal for 43 and later sent Mohit Kale (15) packing, briefly slowing South Zone’s charge. His control, including a maiden, was a cut above, even as Jagadeesan (148*) and Padikkal (57) dominated. Despite South Zone’s 297 for 3, Sindhu’s grit kept North Zone in the fight, outshining a bowling unit where Kamboj grabbed one wicket and others toiled in vain, setting up a big second day.