Rajat Patidar's Midas touch lands him second BCCI trophy in three months

Rajat Patidar is gaining in leadership status as he clinched his second Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Trophy in just over three months, as he led Central Zone to Duleep Trophy title on Monday.

Patidar had captained Royal Challengers Bangalore to their first Indian Premier League (IPL) title in June.  

Central Zone beat South Zone by six wickets. It was a win built on the big first innings score of 511 that Central had got on way to a 362-run lead. South Zone were dismissed for 149 as off-spinner Saransh Jain picked 5/49 and left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya took 4/53.

In response, Central Zone relied on 194 by Yash Rathod 101 by captain Rajat Patidar and their partnership of 167 to take significant lead. Danish Malewar made 53 at the top of the order while Saransh Jain scored 69 down the order.

South Zone put up a better show in the second innings, making 426 runs with 99 from Ankit Sharma and 84 not out from C Andre Siddarth. But the eventual target of 65 proved too little. Although the South Zone bowlers picked four wickets, they couldn’t stop central frm winning the title.

Skipper Patidar credited his spinners Kartikeya and Saransh for the wickets.

“They have played a lot of matches together, Kartikeya and Saransh [for Madhya Pradesh] and they have the skill and are very difficult to play on this pitch. The track was really good to bat and our bowlers dominated and made it tough for the other team. That was a positive sign,” Patidar was quoted as saying by espncricinfo.com.

"This wicket was slightly dry, and that is why we decided to bowl first. We wanted to bowl them out in the first innings as early as possible. That was our aim and it made the game easier.”

South Zone coach L. Balaji, a former India international pace bowler, said that their batting failed to put up a target of 150 which would have been enough.

“The last day was bowler-friendly. Had we got more runs in the first innings or the second, it would have been a solid game," Balaji said. “One hundred and fifty would have been an ideal kind of fourth-innings target for the bowling unit.”

Tags : Rajat Patidar, Central Zone, Duleep Trophy, Saransh Jain, Yash Rathod