India Green collapse courtesy Akshay Wakhare’s fifer, Karun Nair drives on India Red with the bat
India Green had a contrasting start to the second day compared to the first in their Duleep Trophy match as they tumbled to 440-all out after Akshay Wakhare ended with five wickets in the inning. Karun Nair posted an impressive half-century to help end the day on a positive note for his team.
India Green faltered in the second day after a dominating start to the match, as they collapsed from their score of 330/4 overnight to 440 all-out. They fared well in the first hour of play but a lapse of concentration saw Priyam Garg throwing away his wicket after getting a good start and there on the wickets kept tumbling. Fellow overnight batsman Akshay Wadkar fell soon after as the last six wickets fell for a mere 86 runs. Vidarbha’s Akshay Wakhare was the pick of the bowlers, as he recorded his 18th five wicket haul in first-class cricket.
India Red continued their momentum but opener Abhimanyu Easwaran faced an injury scare, forcing him to leave for the pavilion retired-hurt. However, Karun Nair, who has been in excellent form after having scored 99 and an unbeaten 166 in the previous two innings, continued the batting onslaught to keep knocking on the doors of the senior Test team.
He shared a 75-run opening stand with Priyank Panchal but the latter’s wicket was soon followed by Ankit Kalsi’s, both victims of Saurashtra's Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, helping India Green regain control and remain in the driver’s seat. Nair though continued his rich vein of form as India Red closed the day 300 runs short of the opposition’s total, with Nair having scored an unbeaten 77 laced with 14 fours.
