Central Zone skipper Rajat Patidar produced a moment of brilliance on Thursday with a sensational diving catch that instantly went viral on the opening day of the Duleep Trophy final against South Zone. The incident came in the 49th over of South’s innings when off-spinner Saransh Jain found extra bounce against Salman Nizar. The left-hander came forward and the ball struck his glove, bouncing towards silly point.Though the fielder couldn’t hold on, Patidar at gully reacted swiftly, diving forward to grab the rebound inches before it hit the turf. Patidar’s athletic effort capped a dominant day for Central, who bowled South out for 149 in just 63 overs. Jain returned with 5 for 49, while left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya claimed 4 for 53, sharing nine wickets between them. For South, opener Tanmay Agarwal’s 31 was the highest contribution in a faltering batting display.Watch his spectacular catch here Having won the toss and chosen to field, Central justified their decision and gained the advantage with a solid start in reply. By stumps, openers Danish Malewar (28*) and Akshay Wadkar (20*) had guided their side to 50 without loss, leaving them only 99 runs behind.
Poll
Which bowler had the biggest impact on the match?
Patidar, who has already racked up 268 runs in three innings this season at an average of 68.33, will look to extend Central’s grip on the final when he comes out to bat. The 32-year-old, fresh from leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their maiden IPL crown earlier this year, remains key to Central’s hopes of pushing for a decisive first-innings lead.
