Image: West Zone posted 363/6 on Day 1 against Central Zone / © ESPNcricinfo
On September 4, 2025, the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground B in Bengaluru was the stage for a captivating day of cricket as West Zone took on Central Zone in the second semi-final of the Duleep Trophy 2025. Shardul Thakur, West Zone’s skipper, won the toss and chose to bat, a decision that proved inspired as his team piled on 363 for 6 in 87 overs by stumps. The day belonged to Ruturaj Gaikwad, whose dazzling 184 was the heartbeat of the innings, backed by Tanush Kotian’s gritty, unbeaten 65. Central Zone’s bowlers fought with heart, but a flat pitch and Gaikwad’s relentless strokeplay left them reeling. With a run rate of 4.17, West Zone seized control, setting up a blockbuster Day 2.
The morning started gray and gloomy, perfect for fast bowlers to get excited. West Zone’s openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Harvik Desai, walked out to a lively crowd, but Central Zone’s pace duo, Khaleel Ahmed and Deepak Chahar, were ready to strike. Jaiswal, a young star with big-game experience, barely settled in before Ahmed bowled a sharp ball that cut in and trapped him leg-before for just 4 runs. The umpire raised his finger, and Central Zone’s players celebrated wildly. Two overs later, Chahar got Desai to edge one to Yash Rathod in the slips, who held on to send Desai back for 1. At 10 for 2, the West Zone were in trouble, and the Central Zone were on top.
But cricket can be unpredictable. The Bengaluru pitch, known for being batsman-friendly, shook off the early cloud cover and became flat and easy to bat on as the sun came out. Ruturaj Gaikwad, fresh from leading Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, came in at number three, determined to turn things around. Aarya Desai joined him, and together they played carefully, respecting the good balls from Ahmed and Chahar while punishing anything loose. Gaikwad’s smooth drives started to shine, and Desai hung in there, helping West Zone fight back. It wasn’t flashy, but it was exactly what they needed.
The morning turned into a story of grit. Gaikwad and Desai built an 82-run partnership for the third wicket, taking the wind out of Central Zone’s early fire. Gaikwad, with his perfect technique, took on the spinners, Harsh Dubey and Saransh Jain, who got no help from the pitch. He lofted Dubey over midwicket and cut Jain through point, showing his class. Desai, less showy, scored a hard-fought 39 off 84 balls with 6 clean fours, frustrating Central Zone’s bowlers. Finally, in the 26th over, Dubey got Desai to drive loosely, and wicketkeeper Upendra Yadav took the catch. At 92 for 3, West Zone were still under pressure, but Gaikwad stayed calm and focused.
Shreyas Iyer, eager to make a mark in red-ball cricket after a great IPL 2025, came in at number four with a point to prove. He played boldly, smashing 4 fours in a quick 25 off 28 balls, thrilling the crowd with his cover drives. But Khaleel Ahmed struck again in the 35th over, sneaking a ball through to hit Iyer’s stumps. At 137 for 4, Central Zone saw a chance, but Gaikwad kept things steady. Shams Mulani came in next, adding 42 runs with a mix of caution and flair before Jain got him stumped for 18 off 27 balls in the 43rd over. At 179 for 5, the game was evenly poised, with Gaikwad holding it together.
After lunch, Gaikwad took charge. The pitch was now a batsman’s paradise, offering nothing to the bowlers, and Gaikwad made them suffer. He reached his hundred off 131 balls, earning a huge cheer from the crowd, his 15 fours and a big six showing his control. Central Zone’s bowlers, tired under the hot sun, had no answers as Gaikwad picked gaps effortlessly. Tanush Kotian, coming in at number seven, played with heart, staying not out on 65 off 121 balls with 5 fours. His 148-run stand with Gaikwad for the sixth wicket wore Central Zone down.
Gaikwad’s 184 off 206 balls, with 25 fours and a six, was a stunning knock. His strike rate of 89.32 showed he could dominate without taking risks. But in the 74th over, Jain finally got him, tempting him forward for a stumping by Yadav. At 327 for 6, Central Zone hoped to fight back, but Kotian kept the West Zone strong. The crowd was buzzing after Gaikwad’s masterclass, knowing they would have seen something special.
Central Zone, led by stand-in captain Rajat Patidar without regular captain Dhruv Jurel, fought hard, but the pitch was unforgiving. Khaleel Ahmed led the attack with 2 for 70 in 12 overs, getting Jaiswal and Iyer. Deepak Chahar bowled well for 1 for 41 in 9 overs but couldn’t add to his early wicket. Harsh Dubey worked hard for 28 overs, giving away 93 runs for Desai’s wicket, while Saransh Jain took 2 for 109 in 25 overs, including Gaikwad and Mulani. Yash Thakur (0 for 47) and Shubham Sharma (0 for 2) kept things tight but got no wickets, showing how tough the day was for Central Zone.
With Gaikwad out, Central Zone hoped to clean up the tail, but Kotian and captain Shardul Thakur stood firm. Thakur, not out on 24 off 50 balls with 3 fours, stayed calm alongside Kotian’s grit. Their unbeaten 36-run stand for the seventh wicket took West Zone to 363 for 6 at the end of the day, a strong position. The flat pitch left Central Zone’s fielders, despite good work from Rathod and Yadav, unable to stop the flow of runs. Missing Kuldeep Yadav, who was with India’s Asia Cup team, and Jurel, out with a groin injury, Patidar relied on his bowlers’ effort and the experience of players like Shubham Sharma.
West Zone, with Kotian and Thakur at the crease and bowlers like Tushar Deshpande and Arzan Nagwaswalla waiting, are poised to push for a mammoth total. Central Zone, without Jurel and Kuldeep, will bank on Ahmed and Dubey to strike early, while their batsmen, led by Patidar, must fire to keep the fight alive. Day 2 promises more drama, with West Zone holding the upper hand but Central Zone ready to scrap.
The day’s defining moment came in a flash. Khaleel Ahmed, charging in on the third ball, trapped Yashasvi Jaiswal lbw for 4, sending the opener packing and the crowd into a frenzy. Deepak Chahar piled on in the third over, nicking off Harvik Desai for 1, caught by Yash Rathod.
At 10 for 2, Central Zone had West Zone reeling, their bowlers roaring with intent. But Gaikwad’s 184, Desai’s 39, and Kotian’s unbeaten 65 turned the tide, guiding West Zone to 363 for 6. Those early strikes by Ahmed and Chahar were TCNI’s Magic Moment, a fleeting spark of Central Zone’s fire before West Zone’s batsmen took over.
Ruturaj Gaikwad was the soul of West Zone’s innings, earning TCNI’s Hero of the Day for his spellbinding 184 off 206 balls. Striding in after the early losses of Jaiswal and Desai, he played with the grace of a poet, his 25 fours and a six painting a masterpiece.
His 92-run stand with Aarya Desai and 148-run partnership with Tanush Kotian were the backbone of West Zone’s 363 for 6. Gaikwad’s stumping off Jain in the 74th over ended a knock that will linger in memory, but not before he put West Zone firmly in control. His blend of elegance and grit was pure magic, making him the day’s undisputed star.