Duleep Trophy 2022: Venkatesh Iyer gets hit on neck from Chintan Gaja’s throw, walks off the field in pain

In the ongoing Duleep Trophy semi-final between West Zone and Central Zone, Venkatesh Iyer got hit on the neck by a throw from the bowler Chintan Gaja. Iyer was batting on 6 when the incident took place and he had just come to the crease after Central Zone had suffered a top order batting collapse. The all-rounder was spotted in pain after the incident and the ambulance had to come in to take him out of the ground. 

However, the man decided to walk off and not use the stretcher. Iyer had to retire hurt, and certainly, it was a painful incident to swallow for the fans at the SNR Cricket College Ground in Coimbatore. Central Zone desperately wanted Iyer at the crease to stay long after having lost half of the side for just 66 runs on the board and it was down to Iyer and skipper Karan Sharma to bail the side out of trouble.  

The good news is that, Iyer came out to bat again after the loss of seventh wicket and has joined his skipper Karan Sharma who is trying to show some resistance. Earlier on the day, Jaydev Unadkat did bulk of the damage by picking up three wickets for just 24 runs while Atit Seth picked up two wickets for the West Zone.  

Kumar Kartikeya impresses with five-wicket haul for Central Zone

The West Zone after losing the toss on the first day, posted 257 in the first innings, thanks to the half centuries from Prithvi Shaw (60), Rahul Tripathi (67). Shams Mulani (41) and Tanush Kotian (36) contributed valuable runs lower down the order and it helped the West Zone to post a respectable total on the board.  

Kumar Kartikeya was the pick of the bowlers for the Central Zone as he picked up a five-wicket haul in the first innings. Ajinkya Rahane and Yashasvi Jaiswal, the double centurions for West Zone from the previous game were dismissed early and they will be looking to make up for it in the second innings, once the Central Zone’s innings comes to an end.