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On the first day of the Duleep Trophy final, West Zone's bowlers took control, restricting South Zone to 182 for seven. Choosing to field, West Zone capitalized on the mostly cloudy conditions and never let the advantage slip away. However, bad lighting led to an early end of the day's play during the extended session.
Captain Hanuma Vihari was the standout performer for South Zone, scoring 63 runs off 130 balls. Yet, it became evident that individual heroics alone would not be enough. Despite batting in favorable conditions, West Zone pacers Arzan Nagwaswalla, Chintan Gaja, and Atit Sheth deserve credit for keeping South Zone's batting lineup in check.
South Zone's first wicket fell due to a careless shot selection. Samarth chose to cut Gaja's delivery outside the off-stump, resulting in an easy catch for Harvik Desai behind the stumps. Mayank and Tilak Varma then tried to stabilize the innings, but Mayank couldn't convert his start. His expansive drive off Sheth led to his dismissal, caught at third slip by Sarfaraz Khan. South Zone found themselves in trouble at 42 for 2.
However, the partnership between Tilak and Vihari provided some respite as they added 79 runs for the third wicket. South Zone went into lunch at 100 for two.
Vihari's innings stood out as he adeptly handled the pacers, playing with precision and technique. He countered the bounce and movement by keeping the ball close to his body. Vihari's wristy flicks added elegance to his resilient knock whenever the pacers strayed onto his pads. However, his attempt to late-cut left-arm spinner Shams Mulani resulted in an edge that snaked onto the stumps. Nagwaswalla dismissed Tilak soon after, and West Zone claimed four wickets in the post-lunch session for 66 runs, leaving South Zone in a precarious situation.
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