Nathu Singh and Dhawal Kulkarni set up the game in favour of India B in the Prof. DB Deodhar Trophy by restricting India A to 161 after captain Unmukt Chand elected to field first in Kanpur. The opener then helped the team to a comprehensive five-wicket win with an unbeaten 77 in the tournament opener.
Nathu claimed three for 23 upfront while Kulkarni picked two for nine to leave India A reeling at 29 for five in the 14th over. Bowling in tandem, they dealt early blows and pushed the opposition on the back foot early on, from where India ‘A’ couldn't recover enough to post a stiff total.
Nathu, who has been in good form in the ongoing season, uprooted Jalaj Saxena's off-stump, and on the last ball of the same over dislodged Mandeep Singh's bails to reduce India ‘A’ to four for two. Kulkarni who bowled miserly spells accounted for Murali Vijay. A good catch by Pawan Negi behind point left the opposition reeling at six for three.
Kedar Jadhav was the next to find his woodwork disrupted by Nathu, while Kulkarni sent back Naman Ojha. Skipper Ambati Rayudu and Parvez Rasool then joined forces to stem the fall of wickets. Their sixth-wicket partnership for 104 runs helped set the opposition a 162-run target before being bowled out.
Rasool, who was dropped near long-on by Nathu on 14, posted 66 while Rayudu contributed 58 as the team strove to add runs to their total.
Chand then led India B’s chase from the front. While Amit Mishra, claimed three quick wickets, the opening batsman held up one end to take control of the innings. The leg-spinner, who ended the opening stand with the wicket of Shreyas Iyer for 56, also claimed Baba Aparajith lbw off the next ball. In his next over, Mishra trapped Sheldon Jackson leg-before to reduce India B to 59 for three.
However, with a sub-par total to chase and Chand in good nick, the three quick wickets did little to shake the India ‘B’ line-up. After losing Surya Kumar Yadav with the team total on 78, the captain found and able ally in Dinesh Karthik. The duo added 75 for the fifth wicket until the senior wicket-keeper-batsman holed out towards long-on with just nine runs required for victory. Chand then took the team to the finish line with Stuart Binny.
India B will face off against Vijay Hazare Trophy 2015-16 champions Gujarat on Tuesday, January 26 at the same venue, Green park Stadium in Kanpur.
Brief scores: India A 161/10 in 44.2 overs (P Rasool 66, A Rayudu 58, N Singh 3/23, D Kulkarni 2/9) lost to India ‘B’ 162/5 in 29.2 overs (U Chand 77*, KD Karthik 34, A Mishra 3/62) by 5 wickets
