Delhi batsman Dhruv Shorey (86 batting) held firm as India Blue struggled to 183 for five in reply to India Red's first innings total of 316 on day two of the Duleep Trophy match at the NPR College ground here yesterday.

Shorey, who played for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL earlier this year, showed he could grind it out in the longer version too as he negotiated a hard-working India Red bowling attack to lead the Blue's fightback after the team had slipped to 18 for three. Paceman Rajneesh Gurbani took two of the first three wickets to fall to peg India Blue back.