Manav Suthar took three wickets and Akash Deep claimed two on the opening day of the Irani Cup, but powerful batting from Atharva Taide and Yash Rathod allowed Vidarbha to conclude the day in a strong position.
On the first day of the Irani Cup in Nagpur, Vidarbha`s opening batsman Atharva Taide scored an unbeaten 118 runs, laying a solid foundation for his team to achieve a substantial first-innings total against the Rest of India.
Taide began his innings alongside Aman Mokhade, who contributed 19 runs from 27 balls, including four boundaries, before nicking an Akash Deep delivery in the eighth over of the match. Akash Deep, marking his return to competitive cricket since his Test tour of England, made an impact with the ball at both the start and end of the day`s play. He proved to be the most economical bowler for the Rest of India, conceding only 2.50 runs per over across his 14 overs.
Akash Deep concluded the day by having Vidarbha captain Akshay Wadkar caught behind for 5 runs in the 82nd over. This reduced Vidarbha to 275 for 5 wickets, but Taide skillfully batted through the remaining overs alongside Yash Thakur, guiding Vidarbha to a close of play score of 280 for 5.
Earlier in the day, Rajasthan all-rounder Manav Suthar had posed a significant threat to Vidarbha`s batting lineup, claiming three crucial wickets. Fresh from an impressive eight-wicket haul against Australia A in Lucknow, Suthar took back-to-back wickets in his very first over, the 23rd of the innings. First, he bowled Dhruv Shorey (18) as the batsman misjudged the line, then just three balls later, he had Danish Malewar caught behind. Malewar`s dismissal was the second of three catches completed by Ishan Kishan behind the stumps.
With the score at 80 for 3, 25-year-old Yash Rathod entered the crease. He effectively stemmed the fall of wickets and continued his excellent form from the Duleep Trophy, where he had amassed 374 runs in five innings at an average of 124.67. Rathod and Taide batted resiliently throughout the second session, appearing set to remain at the crease until stumps.
However, after hitting Suthar for a six off the previous delivery in the 74th over, Rathod skipped down the track for a second consecutive time and was caught out at mid-off for 91, an unexpected dismissal against the run of play. This wicket brought an end to a crucial 184-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Although Akash Deep secured the fifth wicket before stumps, Taide`s continued presence at the crease will be vital for Vidarbha`s prospects on the second day. In the event that an outright result is not achieved over the five days, the team holding the first-innings lead will be declared the winner.
Therefore, Vidarbha will aim to bat for as long as possible in their first Irani Cup appearance since the 2018-19 edition, which they also won by securing a first-innings lead.
