Gharami and Shahbaz Shine as East Zone Mounts Duleep Trophy Fightback

East Zone staged a remarkable turnaround on the opening day of their Duleep Trophy encounter, finishing the day in a commanding position at 355/6 against North East. After an early top-order collapse threatened to derail their innings, a masterclass in middle-order batting led by Sudip Gharami and Shahbaz Ahmed propelled the team to safety.

Early Struggles and a Middle-Order Collapse

The day began on a difficult note for East Zone. Young prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose red-ball struggles have been a point of concern, was dismissed for just eight, while seasoned opener Abhimanyu Easwaran departed for 15.

Although Kumar Kushagra offered some resistance with a breezy 55 off 65 deliveries, his exit sparked a mid-innings slide. With Ishan Kishan and Virat Singh falling in quick succession, East Zone found themselves reeling at 138/5, leaving their innings in tatters.

Gharami’s Heroics

Stepping up when the pressure was at its peak, Sudip Gharami proved why he was one of the standout performers of the previous domestic season. Carrying forward the momentum from a campaign where he amassed 795 runs, Gharami delivered a masterclass in poise and aggression.

Displaying an elegant array of shots, he exploited gaps on the off-side and punished anything drifting onto his legs. His 146 came off 185 balls and was studded with 25 boundaries and a six, marking the ninth first-class century of his career.

Shahbaz Anchors the Recovery

Complementing Gharami’s brilliance was Shahbaz Ahmed, who provided the perfect foil for the rescue mission. The duo shared a match-defining 150-run partnership for the sixth wicket, effectively taking the game away from the North East bowling attack.

By the time stumps were drawn, Shahbaz remained unbeaten on 100, having faced 137 balls and finding the fence nine times alongside two maximums. North East’s bowlers, who had started the day with vigor, found the going tough against the seasoned pair. Jotin Singh emerged as the pick of their bowlers, claiming 3/55, but his efforts were not enough to halt the East Zone juggernaut.

Supported by Anukul Roy, Shahbaz helped steer the team to a robust 355/6 after 80 overs. As play resumes on the second day, East Zone will be looking to capitalize on their recovery and post a formidable first-innings total.