Duleep Trophy: Musheer Khan falls short of completing double century, Navdeep Saini showcases late heroics

India ‘B’ pacer Navdeep Saini celebrates the wicket of India ‘A’ captain Shubman Gill on Day Two of their match in Bangalore yesterday. Pic/PTI

For the second day in a row, Musheer Khan held centrestage at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, falling 19 short of a second first-class double-century, but it wasn't all about only the 19-year-old on Friday.

Navdeep Saini, who helped himself to his highest score, struck twice with the ball to peg India ‘A' back, before Riyan Parag and KL Rahul took Shubman Gill's side to 134 for two at stumps on Day Two of their Duleep Trophy tie against India ‘B'. This, after the latter had extended their overnight 202 for seven to a competitive 321 on a surface that continued to offer encouragement to the faster bowlers.

Musheer continues to dazzle

Overnight 105, Musheer showcased his appetite for runs by seeing off the second new ball with few alarms while also playing his strokes freely when the opportunity presented itself. With Saini holding up his end of the bargain, India ‘A' three-pronged pace attack of Khaleel Ahmed, Akash Deep and Avesh Khan struggled to make an impression.

Also Read: Paris Paralympics 2024: Praveen's record-breaking jump helps India hit a golden six

Musheer Khan

Whenever the ball was banged in short, Musheer was unafraid to pull. He also used the slog-sweep to excellent effect against Kuldeep Yadav's left-arm wrist spin, though it was to that same stroke that he finally lost his wicket, after spending eight hours and four minutes at the crease. In the same over in which he slammed Kuldeep to nearly the roof of the stadium, he top-edged a wrong ‘un, easily held in the deep. That ended a Duleep Trophy eighth-wicket record stand of 205 (323m, 403b) with Saini, who reached his fifty with a four off Kuldeep before being last man out, caught at third-man on the ramp.

Gill and Mayank Agarwal played several handsome strokes when the India ‘B' quicks pitched the ball up in looking for swing. They were occasionally beaten outside off but that was to be expected, given that lateral movement, while not as pronounced on day one, was still on offer. Gill was the first to depart, offering no stroke to a break-backer from Saini that crashed into off-stump, the skipper not offering a second line of defence particularly disappointing. Agarwal, looking set for a big knock at his home ground, was strangled down leg in Saini's next over and at 66 for two, India ‘A' wobbled slightly.

Rahul, Parag at the crease

Their plight could have been worse had Nitish Reddy at second slip not put down a tough chance to his right to reprieve Rahul, on three, off Mukesh Kumar. Rahul lived to fight another day alongside Parag, who was his usual confident self.

Brief scores
India ‘B' 321 (M Khan 181, N Saini 56; A Deep 4-60, K Ahmed 2-54, A Khan 2-59) v India ‘A' 134-2 (M Agarwal 36; N Saini 2-36)