India C 357 for 5 (Kishan 111, Indrajith 78, Mukesh 3-76) vs India D

Ishan Kishan marked his return to first-class cricket with a counterattacking 126-ball 111 that helped India C dominate proceedings on the opening day of the second round of matches in the Duleep Trophy, in Anantapur.

Not originally part of the revised squads named by the BCCI on September 10, Kishan was a late inclusion on match-eve. Having made a late dash from Bengaluru, 200 kilometers away, Kishan slotted in for India C, not India D who he was originally set to play for, before picking up a groin injury that forced him to miss the first round of matches last week.

Kishan dominated during the course of a 189-run stand for the third wicket with B Indrajith, which formed the bedrock of India C's batting performance; they ended on 357 for 5 after 79 overs. Indrajith contributed 78, his second half-century in three innings.

Kishan, who brought up his seventh first-class century, hit 14 fours and three sixes in all during his knock, which officially marks his comeback to proper red-ball cricket for the first time since his Test debut in the Caribbean in July 2023.

Last month, he had led Jharkhand in two games of the pre-season Buchi Babu Invitational in Tamil Nadu - the scores of which aren't classified under first-class records. There, Kishan had struck a hundred in his very first outing against a Madhya Pradesh XI.

Three of the five India C wickets were picked up by seamer Mukesh Kumar, while Navdeep Saini and legspinner Rahul Chahar picked up one apiece.

India C, however, will be encouraged by the return of Ruturaj Gaikwad, their captain, who had retired hurt in the very first over after twisting his ankle. Gaikwad, who returned to bat at the fall of Indrajith's wicket, added 42 more to his score to remain unbeaten on 46 at stumps.

B Sai Sudharsan and Rajat Patidar, both seeking to firmly cement themselves as first back-up middle order picks, couldn't build on strong starts, making 43 and 40 respectively.