Duleep Trophy Final: South Zone crumble for 149, Central Zone in driver’s seat

Central Zone dominated the opening day of the Duleep Trophy final, dismissing South Zone for a mere 149. Spinners Saransh Jain (5/49) and Kumar Kartikeya (4/53) wreaked havoc, exploiting South’s batting frailties. Central Zone’s openers, Danish Malewar (28*) and Akshay Wadkar (20*), then built a solid foundation, reaching 50 without loss at stumps, reducing the deficit to 99.