South Zone Lag Behind By 233 Runs In Day 3 Of Duleep Trophy Final, Scorecard & Match Highlights

The third day of the Duleep Trophy final could be summed up in one sentence: Central Zone’s massive first-innings total left South Zone chasing shadows. South Zone 149 & 129/2 trail Central Zone 511 by 233 runs, meaning the two-time champions must bat out of their skins to stay in the contest.

Yes, you heard that right! After conceding a 362-run first-innings lead, South Zone still need 233 just to make Central bat again.

Central Zone Command Proceedings With a Mammoth 511

The story of day 3 began with the Central Zone at 384/5. From there they sprinted to 511, building a 362-run cushion.

Yash Rathod’s majestic 194 and Rajat Patidar’s 101 set the tone; Rathod, in particular, looked set for a maiden first-class double until a length ball from Gurjapneet Singh nipped back to bowl him.

In addition, his 286-ball vigil was a masterclass in patience and power. Alongside him, Saransh Jain’s 69 and Deepak Chahar’s brisk 37 added valuable runs.

According to reports, Rathod consciously targeted the spinners after early seam movement. Speaking to PTI, he said he was initially “over-trying” against Gurjapneet but, after some advice from captain Rajat Patidar, he decided to react better to the ball and dominate the slower bowlers.

His 76 runs off left-arm spinner Ankit Sharma’s bowling proved that plan worked.

Key Central Zone Contributions (First Innings):

• Yash Rathod – 194 (286 balls): Built the team’s score; didn’t get his double hundred but helped the team get a big lead.
• Rajat Patidar – 101: Led from the front with a century on day 2, setting the platform.
• Saransh Jain – 69 & 1/32: Followed up his five-wicket haul with a gritty fifty.
• Deepak Chahar – 37: Threw his bat, smashing a couple of sixes to further demoralise South Zone.
• Gurjapneet Singh (4/124) & Ankit Sharma (4/180): Shared eight wickets to prevent an even bigger score.

Central’s batting display resembled a locomotive charging down the track – relentless, powerful and hard to stop. By the time the tail folded, the score read 511, and South Zone’s mountain of a task was clear.

South Zone’s Fightback – Resilience Without Reward

With a mountain to climb, South Zone’s second innings began promisingly. Openers Tanmay Agarwal (26) and Mohit Kale (38) saw off the new ball and added 62 runs.

Their partnership, built on flicks and drives, briefly gave hope. But cricket, like life, can turn on a dime. Off-spinner Saransh Jain trapped Kale lbw, and soon after, Kuldeep Sen produced a delivery that nipped back to dislodge Agarwal’s off bail.

Agarwal’s dismissal was particularly cruel – he shouldered arms expecting the ball to pass harmlessly, only for it to clip the bail. From 62/0, South Zone slipped to 76/2.

In addition, Ravichandran Smaran (37 off 50)* and Ricky Bhui (26 off 46)* then steadied the ship, counter-attacking against the spinners and adding an unbroken 53-run stand. Likewise, Smaran’s drives were crisp; Bhui’s sweeps were fearless.

They took South to 129/2 at stumps, still trailing by 233 runs. The report also stated that Smaran survived an lbw appeal via the Decision Review System before settling in. Their partnership is the lifeline South Zone cling to heading into day 4.

Second-Innings Summary:

• Partnerships: 62 for the 1st wicket (Agarwal/Kale); 14 for the 2nd wicket (Agarwal/Smaran); 53* for the 3rd wicket (Smaran/Bhui)
• Top scorers: Mohit Kale 38, Ravichandran Smaran 37*
• Bowling: Kuldeep Sen 1/22, Saransh Jain 1/32, others wicketless

South Zone’s innings resembled a climber on a sheer cliff – steady and determined, but the summit still far away. They will need to bat all day on day 4 to entertain any hopes of parity.

It took a special delivery to bring an end to a fantastic innings 👌

Superb from Gurjapneet Singh. Masterful knock from Yash Rathod who departs for 194 👏

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/unz0hJ5yJ6#DuleepTrophy | #Final | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/1StZmegOkQ

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 13, 2025

Duleep Trophy Final Day 3 Scorecard

Team & Innings	Score & Overs	Top scorers	Leading bowlers
Central Zone - 1st inns	511 all out (145.1 ov)	Yash Rathod 194, Rajat Patidar 101, Saransh Jain 69	Gurjapneet Singh 4/124, Ankit Sharma 4/180
South Zone - 1st inns	149 all out	Not detailed (opening day)	Saransh Jain 5 wkts (opening day)
South Zone - 2nd inns	129/2 at stumps (33 ov)	Mohit Kale 38, Ravichandran Smaran 37*, Ricky Bhui 26*	Kuldeep Sen 1/22, Saransh Jain 1/32

What the Numbers Mean

Central Zone’s 362-run first-innings lead means South Zone must bat deep into day 4 simply to avoid an innings defeat. With only eight wickets in hand and a deficit of 233 runs, their immediate goal will be to erase the deficit and force Central to bat again.

The pitch has flattened out, offering less for the bowlers, so time at the crease could bring runs. If Smaran and Bhui can convert their starts into big scores and the middle order, including wicket-keeper Mohammed Azharuddeen and all-rounder Tanay Thyagarajan, chip in, there is still hope.

Otherwise, Central Zone, led by Patidar’s captaincy and the spin duo of Jain and Kartikeya, will be favourites to lift the trophy.

Amit Mishra’s Viewpoint

From my perspective, day 3 of the Duleep Trophy Final was a tale of two moods: Central Zone’s swagger and South Zone’s grit. Watching Rathod fall just six runs short of a double was heartbreaking yet riveting.

Also, the shots he made against the spinners were really beautiful to watch. On the other hand, Smaran and Bhui’s late effort showed me that first-class cricket is about being steady as well as being good at playing.

As we go into day 4, Central is in a good spot, but cricket can be surprising.  We will find out later.

FAQs

1. How far is South Zone behind after day 3 of the Duleep Trophy final?

South Zone are 233 runs adrift after ending day 3 on 129/2 in their second innings. They need 233 more to make the Central Zone bat again.

2. Who were the standout performers for Central Zone on day 3?

Yash Rathod’s 194, Rajat Patidar’s 101 and Saransh Jain’s 69, along with Deepak Chahar’s late cameo of 37, propelled Central to 511. Jain later removed Mohit Kale to break the 62-run stand.

3. Did Yash Rathod say anything about missing his double century?

Yes. Rathod admitted he was “over-trying” early on but adjusted his approach after advice from captain Rajat Patidar. Likewise, he focused on reacting to the ball and targeting the spinners, which helped him reach 194 before being bowled.

4. What are South Zone’s chances of saving the match?

They remain slim but not impossible. The pitch is easing and they have eight wickets left. If Ravichandran Smaran and Ricky Bhui can build on their unbeaten stand and the rest of the batting order shows resilience, South could force the match into a fifth-day finish.