SOUTHPAW opener Atharva Taide and right-arm seamer Aditya Thakare became the latest Vidarbha players to make their debuts in the prestigious Duleep Trophy at Anantapur in Karnataka on Thursday. Both the players though had a quiet opening day of the four-day First-Class match. Representing Team D, Atharva’s knock at the top lasted just five balls in seaming conditions after the side was asked by India C skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad to take first strike. After a couple of dot balls, the Punjab Kings player scored his first runs with a boundary off pacer Anshul Kamboj but one ball later was snapped up by Vijaykumar Vyshak. Thakare, who came as the last man, remained not out but failed to open his account facing two balls as Axar Patel got out in his attempt to score some quick runs. India D innings folded at 164. After Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh’s opening spells, Thakare was handed the ball by skipper Shreyas Iyer, who had faced him in the Ranji Trophy final in Mumbai.

 

Thakare was his usual self bowling on the coin but could not get a wicket on the opening day. He was the second most economical of the five bowlers used by India D with figures of 7-1-18-0. With Rana and Patel taking two wickets each, India C were 91-4 in reply. It was just the opening day and there is plenty of time for the Vidarbha players to leave a mark in the match. Hope they come good. For the records, 36 Vidarbha players have participated in Duleep Trophy before the duo. The first player to represent Vidarbha in the Duleep Trophy was Madhukar Sathe (1961-62). Former skipper Pritam Gandhe has played 14 Duleep Trophy matches which are the most by any player from Vidarbha.