Axar Patel showcased his prowess as a vital all-rounder during the Duleep Trophy's first day, rescuing India D from a dire situation with an impressive half-century and later making crucial breakthroughs to keep the game finely poised in Anantapur. The venue, known for favoring fast bowlers, lived up to expectations as wickets tumbled early on with India C reducing their opponents to 34 for 5 after opting to bowl first.
Not even established players like Shreyas Iyer and Devdutt Padikkal could withstand the onslaught, succumbing to low scores. The damage was mainly inflicted by Karnataka's Vijaykumar Vyshak, who ended the day with notable figures of 12-3-19-3, maintaining the threat throughout.In the midst of the chaos, Axar emerged at number 7 and bravely faced the challenge with an attacking mindset, crafting a gritty 86 off 118 deliveries, including six boundaries and six maximums. Despite his valiant effort, India D managed only 164 runs, largely due to his heroic partnership of 84 runs with Arshdeep Singh.
On the flip side, India C's start mirrored their counterparts' struggles as they lost early wickets, with B Sai Sudharsan and Ruturaj Gaikwad falling cheaply. Harshit Rana compounded their woes by dismissing both batsmen, ending the day with impressive figures of 7-5-13-2. Axar further capitalized on the early breakthroughs by picking up two crucial wickets, including the talented Rajat Patidar.As the day concluded, India C found themselves at 91 for 4, still trailing by 73 runs, setting the stage for an intriguing battle on day two of the tournament.