Following a remarkable solo effort in the first innings, B. Sai Sudharsan once again emerged as a crucial pillar for India-A. He anchored their formidable chase of 412 runs against Australia-A on day three of the second ‘Test’ at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
At stumps, Sai Sudharsan remained undefeated with 44 runs, steering the home team to 167 for two, though they still trail by a significant 243 runs. Earlier, K.L. Rahul, displaying exquisite form with a rapid 74 off just 92 deliveries, unfortunately retired hurt under undisclosed circumstances.
From his position at number three, Sai Sudharsan batted with exemplary discipline and precision. He executed elegant drives through the covers and even launched a six off Cooper Connolly. His vital 65-run partnership with Rahul provided much-needed stability after a promising opening. Rahul, for his part, asserted dominance from the outset, effortlessly glancing deliveries to fine leg and unleashing consecutive cover drives against Henry Thornton. His swift fifty, coming off just 55 balls, underscored his aggressive intent. Alongside N. Jagadeesan, he forged an impressive 80-run partnership in 17 overs, capitalizing on any loose deliveries.
Jagadeesan, who was nearing his half-century, was eventually dismissed by Todd Murphy. The off-spinner continued to make an impact, later claiming the wicket of Devdutt Padikkal for a mere five runs, leaving Sai Sudharsan and Manav Suthar with the task of seeing out the remainder of the day’s play.
Earlier in the day, Australia-A, having resumed their innings at a precarious 16 for three, suffered another early blow. Oliver Peake was bowled by Mohammed Siraj after a misjudgment, shouldering arms to a delivery. Nathan McSweeney and Josh Philippe then launched a counter-offensive, striking boundaries, though some were fortunate to find gaps through the slips cordon.
When Manav Suthar switched to bowling over the wicket, it allowed Philippe to execute his sweeps and reverse-sweeps with greater freedom. The wicketkeeper-batsman quickly reached his fifty in just 46 balls before eventually being caught behind off Suthar’s bowling. McSweeney, meanwhile, played a more composed innings, showcasing solid defense and powerful pull shots. He brought up his own half-century in 98 balls and notably lofted Ayush Badoni for a six.
However, Australia-A’s innings soon crumbled. Gurnoor Brar took two crucial wickets in quick succession, dismissing Jack Edwards and Will Sutherland. Suthar then bowled Murphy, and Yash Thakur wrapped things up by removing Corey Rocchiccioli and Thornton, bringing Australia-A’s innings to a close at 185 runs. This set India-A a challenging target.
The scores: Australia-A 420 & 185 in 46.5 overs (Nathan McSweeney 85 n.o., Josh Philippe 50, Gurnoor Brar 3/43, Manav Suthar 3/50) vs India-A 194 & 169/2 in 41 overs (K. L. Rahul 74 retd hurt, Sai Sudharsan 44 batting).