WATCH: Rajat Patidar takes a never-seen-before catch in Duleep Trophy 2025 final between South Zone and Central Zone

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In a high-stakes Duleep Trophy 2025 final, a moment of brilliant fielding by Central Zone‘s captain, Rajat Patidar, turned the tide against South Zone. The spectacular catch not only ended the resistance of a resilient batter Salman Nazir but also shifted the momentum decisively in his team’s favor. With South Zone looking to build a partnership, the ball of the innings was about to be delivered, leading to a breathtaking piece of athleticism that would become a highlight of the match.

The decisive moment came when bowler Saransh Jain delivered a ball at the 48.3-over mark that kicked up sharply from a good length. The South Zone batter, Nizar, was caught off guard, pushing forward and only managing to get a thick outside edge. The ball flew towards the silly point fielder, who managed to get a hand to it but could not hold on, causing it to pop up into the air.

With the ball hanging in the air for a fleeting moment, Patidar, who was positioned at gully, showed incredible reflexes and anticipation. He launched himself forward in a full-stretch dive, managing to get his fingers underneath the ball just inches off the ground to complete a stunning, low catch. The dismissal marked the end of Nizar’s gritty knock of 24 runs from 52 balls, and he was the seventh wicket to fall for South Zone with the scoreboard reading 116. Patidar’s acrobatic effort was a testament to his sharp fielding skills and was the key breakthrough that broke South Zone’s resolve and firmly put Central Zone in a commanding position.

Excellent awareness & presence of mind! 👌

Central Zone captain Rajat Patidar completes a brilliant tag-team catch to dismiss Salman Nizar 🔥

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/unz0hJ66yE#DuleepTrophy | #Final | @IDFCFIRSTBank

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 11, 2025

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In the Duleep Trophy 2025 Final at Bengaluru, Central Zone’s decision to field after winning the toss proved to be a masterstroke, as their bowlers delivered a relentless and disciplined performance to bundle out South Zone for a paltry 149. The opening pair for South Zone, Tanmay Agarwal and Mohit Kale, struggled to find momentum against the new-ball attack of Deepak Chahar and Aditya Thakare, with the first wicket falling at 27. The spinners then took over and ripped through the batting lineup.

Left-arm orthodox spinner Kumar Kartikeya was the first to strike, dismissing Kale and then Ravichandran Smaran in quick succession, before also accounting for the South Zone captain, Mohammed Azharuddeen. He was well-supported by off-spinner Jain, who was unplayable at times. Jain finished with a five-wicket haul, systematically cleaning up the lower middle order and tailenders. The procession of wickets was consistent, and no batter from South Zone was able to build a significant partnership, with the highest partnership being only 27 runs. The innings concluded in just 63 overs, a testament to the Central Zone bowlers’ clinical efficiency and the perfect execution of their plan on a challenging surface.

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