How have Indian Test stars performed in “A series" vs Australia A?
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
India A have taken command of game over Australia A.
India A are currently hosting Australia A for a four-day unofficial Test in Puducherry, with the match giving several Indian players valuable time in red-ball cricket. The game is part of Australia A’s tour of India and is being played from September 22 to 25.
Several Indian players have got useful time in the middle during the game. However, batting became a little tougher on Day 3 as the pitch started offering uneven bounce, with some balls staying low and others rising more than expected.
India A had a strong first innings, scoring 334 runs before bowling Australia A out for 171. They took a lead of 163 runs. In the second innings, India A were bowled out for 199, setting Australia A a target of 363 runs. At the end of Day 3, Australia A were 55/2 and still need 308 runs to win.
Devdutt Padikkal & Sai Sudharsan lead India A’s batting
Catch Every Update, Anytime, Anywhere
Devdutt Padikkal was one of the main performers for India A in the second innings. Playing his first match as India A captain, Padikkal scored 59 runs from 72 balls.
He shared a 68-run partnership with Sai Sudharsan, who scored 39. Padikkal reached his fifty before being dismissed LBW by Liam Scott.
Kumar Kushagra also made an important contribution with an unbeaten 46 off 59 balls. He played several attacking shots and helped India A push their lead towards 363.
Coming to first innings of India, they had a poir outing with the bat as majority of the batters got out early. However, Sai Sudarsan scored 57, and was one of the positives. But the real hero was Kushagra, who hammered a century and helped India A post decent total on board.
India A Bowlers put Australia A under pressure
The hosts also made an early impact with the ball. Tushar Deshpande and Tanush Kotian picked up one wicket each as Australia A slipped to 55/2.
Campbell Kellaway was dismissed for a duck, while Sam Konstas scored 20 before being removed. Nathan McSweeney remained unbeaten on 23 at stumps.
Australia A need another 308 runs to chase down the 363-run target. India A, meanwhile, will look to take the remaining eight wickets and finish the unofficial Test on a positive note.
With the pitch showing signs of variable bounce, the final day could provide an interesting contest between Australia A’s batters and India A’s bowlers.
Performance of India Test stars in India A vs Australia 1st Test
- Devdutt Padikkal: 3, 59
- Sai Sudharsan: 57, 39
- Tanush Kotian: 69, 8 & 4 wickets, 1 wicket
How have India A performed against Australia A?
India A scored 334 in the first innings and 199 in the second. They took a 163-run first-innings lead and set Australia A a target of 363.
How many runs did Devdutt Padikkal score?
Devdutt Padikkal scored 59 runs from 72 balls in India A’s second innings.
For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.