Bengaluru, Sep 4 : Ruturaj Gaikwad’s spectacular 184 anchored West Zone’s fightback on Day 1 of the 2025/26 Duleep Trophy semi-final against Central Zone at the BCCI COE Ground 2 on Thursday. Coming in with his team struggling at 10/2 after early strikes by Khaleel Ahmed and Deepak Chahar, Gaikwad displayed a flawless blend of patience and aggression to turn the tide. His 206-ball innings included 25 crisp boundaries and a towering six, taking West Zone to a commanding 363/6 at stumps. His knock was a masterclass in handling pressure and adapting to conditions. After the early loss of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Harvik Desai, Gaikwad first steadied the ship alongside Aarya Desai in an 82-run partnership. Aarya played a composed knock of 39 before falling to Harsh Dubey. Gaikwad reached his half-century in 72 balls and then accelerated post-lunch, bringing up his eighth first-class century in 131 balls and his 150 in just 178. Despite losing partners like Shreyas Iyer and Shams Mulani during the middle phase, Gaikwad remained unfazed, showing maturity and intent.The pivotal moment of the day came through his 148-run sixth-wicket stand with Tanush Kotian, who provided excellent support with an unbeaten 65. The pair rebuilt the innings with composure and counter-attacking flair. Kotian, who brought up his 17th first-class half-century, held firm even after Gaikwad was eventually stumped off Saransh Jain. The late unbeaten stand of 36 between Kotian and Shardul Thakur (24\*) ensured West Zone ended the day on top, with momentum firmly in their favour. West Zone will now look to capitalize on this strong platform and bat Central Zone out of the game on Day 2. The early onslaught by Khaleel and Chahar had threatened to derail their innings, but Gaikwad’s brilliance and crucial contributions from Kotian have put them in the driver’s seat. With a deep batting order and favorable conditions, West Zone has a golden opportunity to assert complete dominance in this semifinal clash.
