Overview
- Central Zone piled 600 in reply to West Zone’s 438 to take a 162-run first-innings lead, and the match was drawn with West 216/8 in their second innings.
- South Zone’s 536, built around N Jagadeesan’s 197, proved decisive as North Zone were dismissed for 361 despite Shubham Khajuria’s 128, leaving South ahead by 175 before the draw at 95/1.
- Saransh Jain (5/84 and 63*) and Harsh Dubey (3/96 and 75) delivered pivotal all-round contributions that underpinned Central’s advantage.
- The finalists are expected to lose multiple players to India A duty, with Jagadeesan, Devdutt Padikkal, Harsh Dubey, Yash Thakur and Khaleel Ahmed due to assemble in Lucknow on September 12.
- West Zone wicketkeeper Harvik Desai sustained a quadriceps injury and was replaced by Saurabh Nawale during the semifinal.