England Test backup wicket-keeper narrowly misses Double-century mark during Duleep Trophy game in India

Narayan Jagadeesan, the 29-year-old wicketkeeper from Tamil Nadu, came close to making history in the Duleep Trophy 2025 semi-final 1, but fell just three runs shy of a double century.

The match, currently being played on Ground 1 of the BCCI's Centre of Excellence, saw South Zone and North Zone lock horns in a thrilling semi-final encounter. Jagadeesan, who was the South Zone vice-captain for this tournament, started the match on a high note.

Jagadeesan's innings began with a century opening stand with Tanmay Agarwal. He then repeated the feat with Devdutt Padikkal for the second wicket. At lunch, South Zone were 391-5 in 115 overs, with Jagadeesan contributing a significant 128 runs.

On day two, Jagadeesan looked set for a double century, having kept an attack featuring Anshul Kamboj and Auqib Nabi at bay. However, just three runs away from the milestone, he was run out by Nishant Sindhu, a former India U19 all-rounder.

Jagadeesan's performance in the match was a testament to his consistent form. He had finished the last Ranji season with 674 runs at 56, including five fifties and two big scores. He averaged 47.5 coming into the game, with ten centuries to his name.

Meanwhile, in another match, Central Zone are currently 21-0 in response to West Zone's impressive 438, where Ruturaj Gaikwad top-scored with 184.

For those interested in ball-by-ball updates, there is an Over feature available for the South Zone vs North Zone match. As for Jagadeesan's personal coach during the Duleep Trophy 2025, specific names are not mentioned in the available sources. However, it is known that the South Zone team, which Jagadeesan represented, was coached by the appointed South Zone staff at the BCCI Centre of Excellence where the matches were held.

Interestingly, this is not the first time Jagadeesan has missed a double century by a narrow margin. In the past, he had missed a double century by 17 runs and breached that mark with an unbeaten 245.

In a remarkable feat earlier this year, Jagadeesan held the record for the highest score ever in List A cricket with 277, achieved in the 2022/23 Vijay Hazare Trophy. He also scored five consecutive centuries in the same tournament.

Moreover, Jagadeesan was called up as backup wicketkeeper for the injured Rishabh Pant for the fifth England Test at the Oval last month. A week later, he scored a mammoth 321, becoming Tamil Nadu's highest individual scorer in first-class cricket.

As the Duleep Trophy 2025 continues, all eyes will be on Jagadeesan to see if he can break the double century barrier in his next innings.

England Test backup wicket-keeper narrowly misses Double-century mark during Duleep Trophy game in India