Watch: Rajat Patidar takes stunning catch to dismiss Vaibhav Suryavanshi in Duleep Trophy

  • September 2, 2026

During the Duleep Trophy 2026 semifinal clash in Bengaluru, Vaibhav Suryavanshi seemed to be wresting control of the match away from Central Zone on behalf of East Zone. Nevertheless, an extraordinary catch by Rajat Patidar cut short the young batsman’s dangerous knock, providing his side with a vital breakthrough.

Earlier in the contest, Suryavanshi had made a significant impact by hammering 92 runs from just 81 deliveries during the first innings of East Zone. He appeared poised to anchor another crucial batting display during the pursuit of the target, until Patidar’s spectacular fielding effort terminated his stay at the crease.

Rajat Patidar pulls off an incredible catch to send Suryavanshi back

Delivering the fifth ball of the over, Thakur pitched it up, prompting Suryavanshi to attempt a flick in the air towards the mid-wicket boundary. But he mistimed the shot, sending the ball soaring high into the sky. Patidar, who was positioned at mid-on, rapidly sprinted backwards and sideways towards deep mid-wicket.

Tracking the ball closely, the Central Zone skipper fully extended his body to pull off a magnificent diving catch. Suryavanshi’s dismissal for 40 runs from 43 deliveries brought a close to a dangerous knock that had briefly looked like turning the tide back in East Zone’s direction.

Watch the clip here:

East Zone suffer a batting collapse following a solid opening partnership

In pursuit of a 159-run target, Suryavanshi adopted a watchful stance alongside his veteran opening partner Abhimanyu Easwaran. The teenage batsman initially aimed to weather the early storm against the new ball before steadily accelerating his scoring rate. Together, the pair registered a 61-run partnership before Suryavanshi launched an onslaught against Yash Thakur. The left-handed batter smashed three fours and a six off the opening four balls of the 14th over, abruptly turning the heat back onto Central Zone.

Nevertheless, his ultra-aggressive tactics ultimately led to his dismissal. In the prior innings, Central Zone had been dismissed for 266 runs, during which Suryavanshi starred for his side with his fluent 92-run innings. He had shared a formidable 161-run opening stand with Easwaran in that first essay. Entering the second innings, East Zone once again launched their response robustly with a 61-run opening partnership.

Unfortunately, the fall of Suryavanshi’s wicket sparked a sudden batting slide, as his team fell from a comfortable 61/0 to a precarious 93/3. Patidar’s grab stood out as one of the twin fielding masterclasses of the day, with East Zone fast bowler Mohammed Shami also pulling off a spectacular single-handed catch during his follow-through to send Harsh Dubey packing.