Anantapur. Sai Sudarshan’s 111-run innings did not help India C in front of six wickets taken by Tanush Kotian (three for 47) and Prasidh Krishna (three for 50) as India A won the Duleep Trophy by 132 runs here on Sunday.
India A team, which entered the final round with six points from two matches, dominated the four-day match and was three points behind India C which had 09 points. With this victory, India A got 12 points from three matches, which made it top after three matches and became the winner.
Chasing a target of 350 on the final day, India C were bowled out for 217 in 81.5 overs with Krishna taking three wickets for 50 runs in his 13.5 overs, including the last wicket of the match. The contest was in a nail-biting position at tea time with India C at 169 for three. Sudharsan and Ishan Kishan were at the crease and they needed 182 runs in the final session of about 30 overs.
But Kotian had Kishan (17) caught behind and in successive overs took the wicket of Abhishek Porel (0). After this, he also dismissed Pulkit Narang (6). Earlier, Aqib Khan dismissed Ruturaj Gaikwad for 44 runs while Vijaykumar Vaishakh was run out after scoring 17 runs.
Sudharsan played a brilliant innings of 111 runs with the help of 12 fours in 206 balls but he did not get support from the other end. Krishna dismissed this left-handed batsman from Tamil Nadu in the 78th over, which finally ended India C’s challenge.
Aqib dismissed fourth-ranked batsman Rajat Patidar (07) while Kotian’s Mumbai teammate Shams Mulani dismissed Manav Suthar.
Karnataka fast bowler Krishna added two more wickets to his account in the final phase. He ensured a big win for his team by dismissing Anshul Kamboj and Tamil Nadu’s main bowler Baba Indrajeet for zero. Earlier in the day, India A declared their innings at 286 for six after batting for just two overs. Riyan Parag (73) and Shashwat Rawat (53) scored half centuries and wicketkeeper batsman Kumar Kushagra contributed 42 runs, taking India A’s total lead to 349 runs.