Inderjith hits double ton, Vihari leads fightback for India Blue

KANPUR: Tamil Nadu batsman Baba Inderjith smashed a whirlwind double century to help India Red score 383 in their first innings against India Blue in the Duleep Trophy at the Green Park here on Thursday.

In reply, India Blue scored 216/3 in 61 overs at the end of Day Two in the four-day, day-night contest. Hyderabad’s Hanuma Vihari (86no —163b, 14x4) and Deepak Hooda (23no -- 41b, 2x4) were batting at stumps.

The Suresh Raina-led India Blue still need 168 to take the first innings lead.

Despite losing two wickets within the 100-run mark, Hanuma Vihari and skipper Suresh Raina played cautiously and stitched together a 73-run third wicket stand before Raina (52-- 82b, 7x4) was caught by Priyank Panchal at short fine-leg while flicking off-spinner Vijay Gohil. It was Raina’s 43rd firstclass half-century.

Hanuma Vihari hit the India Red bowlers for boundaries without any problem and has so far added 57 runs with Deepak Hooda so far.

India Blue had an early setback after opener Samit Gohel (32 – 47 b, 5x4) failed to read a slower one from leg-spinner Karn Sharma to be caught at covers.

Bengal’s Manoj Tiwary was the next to go. Having struck three fours in his 34-ball 20, he edged Basil Thampi to keeper Rishabh Pant.

Inderjith, resuming on his overnight 120, struck almost all the bowlers for fours and sixes. The 23-year-old took just 99 balls to score 80 runs to reach his maiden first-class double century. He completed 2,000 firstclass runs during the knock. Brief Scores: India Red 383 (B Inderjith 200, P Panchal 36, A Rajpoot 3/56, J Unadkat 2/72, M Tiwary 2/30) vs India Blue 216/3 in 61 overs (G Vihari 86*, S Raina 52)