The Duleep Trophy 2025 has already produced some standout performances, and the Central Zone side has stamped its authority early in the contest against North East Zone. On the back of superb centuries from Danish Malewar and Rajat Patidar, Central Zone declared their innings at a commanding 532/4 before tightening their grip with the ball. At stumps, North East Zone was reeling at 85/2, still trailing by a massive 447 runs.
Central Zone’s Batting Masterclass
Central Zone made the most of batting first, showing both patience and power to take control early. Openers Aayush Pandey and Aryan Juyal gave them a steady start. Pandey fell cheaply for 9, but Juyal dug in and played a solid knock of 60 from 100 balls. With eight crisp boundaries, he made sure there was no early collapse and set things up nicely for the middle order to cash in.
The real turnaround, however, came with the arrival of Danish Malewar. The right-hander was in sublime touch, timing the ball beautifully from the start. Malewar punished anything loose and rotated strike effectively, keeping the scoreboard ticking. His innings of 203 off 222 balls, laced with 31 fours and 1 six, was the highlight of Central Zone’s dominance. It was an innings made on patience as well as aggression, a excellent blend in the longer format.
At the other end, Rajat Patidar matched him stroke for stroke. The experienced batter carried on his superb domestic form, striking 206 not out off 328 deliveries. Patidar’s innings was full of control, with 26 fours and 3 sixes, as he showcased his ability to bat long and convert starts into big scores.
The Malewar-Patidar partnership completely deflated the North East Zone bowlers. The duo added massive runs, ensuring Central Zone went past the 500-run mark with ease.
Supporting Contributions
It wasn’t just about Malewar and Patidar. Others in the lineup did their bit too. Yash Rathod stayed unbeaten on 17, giving Patidar company towards the close, while Shubham Sharma chipped in with a handy 34 from 76 balls before falling to Akash Choudhary.
By the time Central Zone pulled the plug at 532/4 in 102 overs, the game was firmly in their grip. The declaration wasn’t just about the big score — it was a smart call to give their bowlers enough time to go after North East Zone’s top order before stumps.
North East Zone’s Bowling Struggles
For North East Zone, the bowling figures told the story of their struggles. Most bowlers went for runs at a high economy rate. Akash Choudhary was the only one to taste some success, picking up two wickets including Shubham Sharma and Hem Chetri. However, he conceded 120 runs in 21 overs.
The rest of the attack, including Palzor Tamang and Ankur Malik, found it hard to control the flow of runs. The flat wicket at times looked unforgiving, but the Central Zone batters’ composure and shot selection made the difference.
North East Zone’s Response
Chasing such a huge total was always going to be a daunting task. North East Zone lost Techi Doria for 20 and Karmajit Yumnam for 48, leaving them struggling at 85/2 by the close of play. While Yumnam tried to hold the innings together with seven boundaries, he was run out by Rajat Patidar — a moment that summed up the pressure the batting side was under.
At stumps, Jehu Anderson was unbeaten on 6, while Ashish Thapa was yet to score. North East Zone has a mountain to climb if they are to save the match, let alone think of a win.
Central Zone’s Bowling Start
Central Zone bowlers came out with intent after their batters had put them in a strong position. Harsh Dubey struck with the wicket of Techi Doria, while Patidar’s direct hit sent Yumnam back.
Veteran spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Aditya Thakare applied pressure with tight spells, while pacers Deepak Chahar and Khaleel Ahmed kept things in check with the new ball. Although they have only two wickets to show so far, the pressure is clearly on North East Zone.
The Road Ahead
With three full days still left in the match, Central Zone holds all the cards. Their immediate target will be to bowl North East Zone out cheaply and enforce the follow-on if possible. For North East Zone, the challenge is about resilience. Their batters will need to occupy the crease, frustrate the Central Zone bowlers, and slowly eat into the deficit.
Players like Hem Chetri and Rongsen Jonathan, who are yet to bat, will be crucial. If they can put together a couple of partnerships, North East Zone might still have a chance to save the game. But realistically, with a trail of over 400 runs, the odds are heavily stacked against them.
Key Takeaways from Day 1
- Danish Malewar’s Double Century – A career-defining knock that showed class, patience, and the ability to convert a start into a match-winning effort.
- Rajat Patidar’s Consistency – Another huge innings from Patidar, reaffirming why he’s one of the most reliable batters in India’s domestic setup.
- Central Zone’s Batting Depth – Even after the top-order wickets, the middle order stood tall and capitalized.
- North East Zone Under Pressure – Their bowlers struggled to find breakthroughs, and now their batters face an uphill battle.
Conclusion
The Duleep Trophy 2025 has started on an exciting note, especially for Central Zone, who look determined to make a deep run in the tournament. Their dominance with the bat, led by Malewar and Patidar’s centuries, has already given them the upper hand. Unless North East Zone pull off something extraordinary with the bat, this game seems headed firmly in Central Zone’s favor.
As the match progresses, all eyes will be on whether Central Zone can enforce a follow-on and wrap things up quickly, or if North East Zone can show some fight to stretch the game further. One thing is certain — fans of domestic cricket have been treated to a high-quality contest early in the Duleep Trophy 2025.