Chasing 273 in a must-win game against Gujarat, Kedar Jadhav powered India A into the Deodhar Trophy final with an unbeaten 61-ball 91-run knock. The Ambati Rayudu-led team will take on the Unmukt Chand-led India B in the final on Friday January 29.
Chasing a competitive total, India A were 49 for two when Faiz Fazal found an able ally in Rayudu (75) to build a foundation and keep the chase on course. The pair added 75 runs until the opener edged Mehul Patel to the slips and departed for 53. With the team on 124 for three and the required run rate a little over six runs per over, the hard-hitting Jadhav then joined forces with the captain and took on the bowlers. Milking the opposition in an 83-run stand, the duo tipped the balance in their team's favour.
Jadhav was the more aggressive of the two as he continued to find the gaps. He pulled and swept the ball to the fence to keep the required run rate in check. The partnership was broken when the captain was run out while looking for second run.
With 66 runs required at run-a-ball, Naman Ojha joined Jadhav to take the innings forward. With Jadhav plundering runs, the pair also ran hard between the wickets to maintain the advantage. With a couple of boundaries through cover and point, Jadhav brought the team within sniffing distance of victory and entered the nineties. He remained unconquered as Naman took the team to the finish line in the following over with 16 balls to spare.
Earlier, captain Parthiv Patel was once again the standout performer for Gujarat after they were asked to bat in the all-important match. The opening batsman shaped the team's innings with a well compiled century. After Priyank Panchal edged Shardul Thakur to Naman behind the stumps to end the openings stand for 81, the skipper continued to anchor the innings with aplomb.
While the captain played a sterling knock, the India A spinners were the undoing of the Gujarat batsmen. Manpreet Juneja holed Pravez Rasool (three wickets) out to deep mid-wicket. Chirag Gandhi departed 14 runs later, offering a simple catch towards point off Faiz Fazal. Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals while Parthiv held up one end to take the team to 222. Raxlee Taylor followed him back in the next over without any addition to the score.
Santosh Shinde's late onslaught (28 off 18) was a treat for the spectators as he helped the team to 272. After launching Amit Mishra (three wickets) over long on and mid-wicket for sixes, he perished handing a catch to long-off in the leg-spinner’s next over with still four balls remaining in the innings.
Brief scores: Gujarat 272/10 in 49.2 overs (P Patel 119, P Rasool 3/47, A Mishra 3/48) lost to India A 273/4 in 47.2 overs (K Jadhav 91*, A Rayudu 75, F Fazal 53, M patel 2/53) by 6 wickets
