Duleep Trophy 2022 Final: Yashasvi Jaiswal double ton leads West Zone’s fightback on Day 3

Yashasvi Jaiswal struck a brilliant double hundred as West Zone made a tremendous fightback on Day 3 of the Duleep Trophy 2022 final against South Zone in Coimbatore on Friday, September 23.

West Zone went to stumps at 376 for three, having gained a significant 319-run lead. Jaiswal was undefeated at stumps on 209 off 244 balls, with Sarfaraz Khan (30* off 58) giving him company.

South Zone held the edge in the final when Day 3 began. However, resuming their first innings on 318 for seven, they could only add a further nine runs for the loss of the remaining three wickets. The good start gave West Zone some early momentum, and they carried it into their batting.

Yashasvi and Priyank Panchal wiped off the first-innings deficit of 57 runs, adding 110 for the opening wicket at a brisk pace. Panchal contributed 40 before falling to R Sai Kishore.

Skipper Ajinkya Rahane could only contribute 15 as he was trapped leg before by Krishnappa Gowtham. Having claimed two wickets, South Zone would have been hopeful of a comeback.

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Jaiswal-Shreyas Iyer stand puts West Zone on top

With the match in the balance, Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer (71) added 169 runs to put West Zone in command of the Duleep Trophy 2022 final. Jaiswal brought up his hundred in style, guiding a short ball from Basil Thampi down to third man for four.

To his credit, he did lose focus after reaching a personal milestone and carried on for the team. Shreyas also displayed excellent touch as the duo brought up the 100-run stand in 113 balls.

Shreyas was looking good for a hundred, but he could not convert his half-century into three figures. He miscued an inside-out loft and was caught off Sai Kishore’s bowling.

Jaiswal and Sarfaraz then ensured West Zone did not lose any further wickets, adding an unbroken 58 by stumps. The former reached a well-deserved double hundred by smashing Gowtham for a boundary. The left-hander’s knock has firmly put his team on top in the Duleep Trophy 2022 final.

South Zone would have been keen to extend their overnight lead of 48 at the start of the day's play. However, Chintan Gaja (2/33) and Jaydev Unadkat (4/52) ensured that the opposition’s tail did not wag.

Jaiswal then played a superb innings to completely swing the momentum of the Duleep Trophy 2022 final.