Cheteshwar Pujara's 256 extends India Blue advantage

Cheteshwar Pujara's penchant for scoring big runs in domestic cricket was on full display yet again as he hit an unbeaten 256 to extend India Blue's advantage over India Red on Day 2 of the Duleep Trophy final on Sunday (September 11). Pujara, who registered his 10th double ton in first-class cricket, scored 28 boundaries during his 363-ball stay and was involved in a 243-run stand for the fifth wicket with Sheldon Jackson (134) to help his team amass a mammoth total of 693 for 6, before India Blue's declaration.

India Red's reply was in stark contrast as the Yuvraj Singh-led side was in early trouble, losing two wickets in a tricky nine-over period to end the day at 16 for 2.

Already having a mountain to climb to keep their title hopes alive, it didn't help India Red's cause when they lost Abhinav Mukund and Sudip Chatterjee off consecutive deliveries in the opening over. Pankaj Singh was in the middle of a lively spell which came as a welcome change from the run marathon that lasted for nearly two days. He first sent back Mukund with an inswinger, trapping the batsman plumb in front, and then castled Chatterjee with another well-directed incoming delivery. Yuvraj, who managed to see off the hat-trick ball, remained unbeaten along with Shikhar Dhawan to prevent further damage.

The day started on a bright note for India Red as Pradeep Sangwan dismissed Dinesh Karthik for his overnight score of 55, ending a stand worth 120 runs. The wicketkeeper-batsman was bowled off the first ball, getting an inside edge onto the stumps while attempting to drive without much footwork. India Red's joy, however, was short-lived as the Pujara-Jackson association turned out to be a hugely productive one.

The pair first had to survive a testing spell from Nathu Singh, who generated good pace to beat the bat on multiple occasions and even got the batsmen to edge a couple of times. However, the 21-year-old Rajasthan pacer didn't have any luck going his way as Pujara and Jackson settled down into a nice partnership, helping India Blue past 400 soon after the first drinks interval.

Jackson also had a couple of lucky breaks as Stuart Binny missed a catch off his own bowling on his followthrough, while Yuvraj failed to hold on to the ball at first slip when Mishra had induced a top-edge with a googly. Pujara, meanwhile, went past 150 for the second time in three innings as India Blue managed 76 runs in the first session, off 25 overs.

The post-tea session was all about milestones as the fifth-wicket pair took India Blue past 500. With two successive fours off Mishra in the 138th over, Jackson registered his 11th first-class hundred and his second in the 2016 edition of Duleep Trophy. After being put down by Shikhar Dhawan at short midwicket off Kuldeep Yadav, Jackson got his third reprieve.

A short while later, Pujara smacked the chinaman bowler for two back-to-back boundaries to bring up his first double ton since November 2013. In doing so, Pujara joined Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid at the second position on the list of most double hundreds in first-class cricket by Indians, only one behind Vijay Merchant, who tops the chart. Pujara's boundaries off Kuldeep also extended the partnership past 200 as India Blue went into the dinner break seven short of the 600 mark, having added 155 runs in the session at a run-rate of close to five an over.

India Blue's intentions to add quick runs in the final session was evident when Pujara started off by guiding a Nathu Singh delivery past first slip for a four. Jackson then sent one sailing straight over Mishra's head for a maximum to power India Blue past 600. However, an attempt to execute a similar shot led to his downfall as he failed to get the elevation on this one, handing a catch back to the legspinner.

The dismissal, however, did not change India Blue's approach as Pujara, in the company of Ravindra Jadeja, piled on India Red's agony. A brisk half-century stand ensued as Pujara and Jadeja dealt in regular boundaries, with Kuldeep bearing the brunt of the attack. Pujara went on to bring up his fifth 250-plus score with a boundary off Mukund. Jadeja closed in on a half-century with a six off Mukund, but fell two short of the mark when he chopped on a delivery from the same bowler. India Blue immediately declared the innings, seven short of 700.