Bengaluru: Of course, no game is won or lost at a singular moment, but there are phases that tend to become associated with one result or another.
In the opening Duleep Trophy game between India A and India B, one could argue that Musheer Khan’s 181 for India B in the first innings was that moment, taking the side from 94 for 7 to 321 all out.
Some might go so far as picking the bowling performances from Mukesh Kumar (3/62) and Navdeep Saini (3/60) for India B as the most vital component since India A were bowled out for 231, giving India B a lead of 90 runs.
Neither would be wrong to suggest so. But, one might want to pay heed to the 55 balls which witnessed the dance of fire and more fire as Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant took India A’s well-oiled but unprepared bowlers on a rollercoaster ride.
The duo added 72 runs for the fifth wicket before Safaraz (46) was undone by the awkward rise on an ageing strip. Pant hung around and hammered a feisty 61 from 47 balls before falling prey to his eagerness.
That said that alliance, which came in 55 balls, was a thing of beauty because India A skipper Shubman Gill had little to offer in terms of a riposte. As he stood scratching his non-existent beard, the two portly batters went on a witch hunt for leather and came away adding streaks of red to a gloomy day.
India B finished the day on 150 for 2 from 31.3 overs to extend their lead to 240 runs.
As for India A, when it was their turn to bat earlier in the day, they were so caught up in their heads that they were manifesting failure.
Having ended Friday on a solid 134/2 (trailing by 187 runs), India A would have hoped to get ahead given their quality as a batting unit. Granted, they don’t run as deep as India B might but India A’s batters do hold a numerical edge.
However, that worked against them on Saturday as they looked to stay within themselves and save the innings rather than taking some risks.
Basically, India A were looking to avoid losing and looking bad rather than going for the win and seeing how that plays out.
Apprehension was the prevalent trait in their modus operandi, and that resulted in them poking and prodding about. None of this is to say India B’s bowlers did not bowl well. This is only to reiterate the power of positivity when it comes to batting when the odds are against you.
Juxtapose this attitude against what Sarfaraz and Pant offered in the second innings, and you’ll see exactly why India A could well end up losing this contest on the final day of their four-day encounter.
Of course, India A possess the bowling arsenal to bowl India B out quick and go after quick runs, but at this stage, it doesn't look likely.
Scoreboard
India B (I Innings): 321 all out
India A (I Innings, O/n: 134/2): Mayank Agarwal c Pant b Saini 36 (45b, 8x4), Shubman Gill b Saini 25 (43b, 3x4), Riyan Parag c Pant b Yash Dayal 30 (64b, 4x4), KL Rahul b Washington 37 (111b, 4x4), Dhruv Jurel lbw Saini 2 (16b), Shivam Dube c Nitish b Mukesh 20 (42b, 4x4), Tanush Kotian c Musheer b Sai Kishore 32 (71b, 4x4), Kuldeep Yadav lbw Mukesh Kumar 1 (14b), Akash Deep c Musheer b Mukesh 11 (29b, 1x4, 1x6), Avesh Khan (not out) 1 (6b), Khaleel Ahmed b Sai Kishore 0 (5b). Extras (B-20, LB-6, NB-10) 36. TOTAL (all out, 72.4 overs) 231.
Fall of wickets: 1-57 (Gill), 2-66 (Agarwal), 3-145 (Paragraph), 4-151 (Jurel), 5-169 (Rahul), 6-199 (Dube), 7-201 (Kuldeep), 8-224 (Kotian), 9-230 (Akash).
Bowling: Mukesh Kumar 19-1-62-3 (nb-2), Yash Dayal 16-2-39-1 (nb-4), Nitish Kumar Reddy11-4-19-0 (nb-2), Navdeep Saini 16-1-60-3 (nb-2), Sai Kishore 6.4-1-10-2, Washington Sundar 4-0-15-1.
India B (II Innings): Yashasvi Jaiswal c Jureal b Khaleel 9 (16b, 1x4), Abhimanyu Easwaran c Jureal b Akash 4 (23b), Musheer Khan c Jurel b Akash 0 (6b), Sarfaraz Khan c Jurel b Avesh 46 (36b, 7x4, 1x6), Rishabh Pant c (sub) b Kotian 61 (47b, 9x4, 2x6), Nitish Kumar Reddy c Jurel b Khaleel 19 (41b, 2x4), Washington Sundar (batting) 6 (23b). Extras (B-1, LB-1, NB-3) 5. TOTAL (for 6 wkts, 31.3 overs) 150
Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Jaiswal), 2-14 (Musheer), 3-22 (Easwaran), 4-94 (Sarfaraz), 5-140 (Pant)
Bowling: Khaleel Ahmed 9.3-1-56-2 (nb-1), Akash Deep 9-2-36-2 (nb-2), Avesh Khan 6-1-18-1, Kuldeep Yadav 3-0-26-0, Tanush Kotian 3-0-10-1, Riyan Parag 1-0-2-0.