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The Duleep Trophy, a prestigious tournament in Indian domestic cricket, saw Team C make a winning start to their campaign against Team D in Anantapur. The match was decided on the third afternoon, with Team C successfully chasing down a target of 233 runs. This victory was fueled by a dominant bowling performance from Manav Suthar and a crucial contribution from the batters, particularly Ruturaj Gaikwad, Aryan Juyal, and Rajat Patidar.
Suthar, the star performer for Team C, ended the match with exceptional figures of 7 for 49. He had already claimed five wickets in the first innings, effectively dismantling Team D's batting line-up. On the third day, he continued his excellent form, adding two more wickets to his tally. Team D, despite a valiant effort from Devdutt Padikkal and Shreyas Iyer in the first innings, could only manage a total of 236 runs in their second innings, setting a target of 233 for Team C.
The chase began with a strong statement from Ruturaj Gaikwad. He hit two boundaries off the first two deliveries, immediately putting pressure on the Team D bowlers. He and his opening partner Sai Sudharsan continued to attack, scoring 45 runs in just six overs against the pace duo of Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh. However, Team D captain Shreyas Iyer brought in his spinners, Axar Patel and Saransh Jain, to break the partnership. Saransh proved to be the key wicket-taker, dismissing both Sudharsan and Gaikwad, who had scored 46 runs off 48 balls. Despite the loss of their openers, Team C remained in the chase, with Aryan Juyal and Rajat Patidar forming a crucial 88-run partnership. They approached the chase with more caution than the openers, but consistently chipped away at the target. However, Saransh once again proved his effectiveness, dismissing Patidar for 44 runs.
While Team D hoped to capitalize on the momentum, Team C's wobble was short-lived. Abishek Porel and Suthar, who had previously shown their resilience with the bat, came together to score the remaining 42 runs in the next 11.5 overs, securing a 4-wicket victory for Team C. This win sets the tone for Team C's Duleep Trophy campaign, and Suthar's exceptional performance adds a significant highlight to the tournament's opening stages.