K.L. Rahul and B. Sai Sudharsan delivered a masterclass in disciplined and aggressive batting, orchestrating an unforgettable chase for India-A.
Their heroic efforts on Friday laid the groundwork for a monumental 412-run pursuit, ultimately leading the home side to a dominant 1-0 series win in the two-match ‘Test’ series against Australia-A, played out at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium.
Rahul remained a rock, unbeaten with an impressive 176 runs off 210 balls, featuring 16 fours and 4 sixes. Meanwhile, Sai Sudharsan contributed a brilliant 100 off 172 deliveries, including 9 fours and a six. Together, their crucial 143-run second-wicket partnership spanned across two challenging days.
This remarkable partnership not only secured victory for India-A but also etched their names into the record books, marking the sixth-highest successful chase in First Class cricket ever achieved on Indian soil. The win was sealed comfortably before Tea on the fourth day.
Starting the day at 169 for two with a demanding 243 runs still needed, Sai Sudharsan quickly signaled his intent, beginning with a fluent cover drive and reaching his fifty off just 92 balls. The early dismissal of Manav Suthar, caught sweeping off Todd Murphy, saw K.L. Rahul return to the crease, having retired hurt on 74 the evening before.
Both Rahul and Sai Sudharsan maintained excellent control, accumulating runs steadily with well-judged strokes. The pitch, much to Australia-A’s dismay, offered minimal turn. Despite occasional deliveries that spun sharply or stayed low, the slow nature of the surface and some fielding errors from the Australians meant the pressure on the Indian batsmen was significantly reduced.
Sai Sudharsan, the left-hander, expertly utilized sweeps and reverse sweeps, while Rahul aggressively dispatched any short deliveries. The experienced Rahul confidently stepped down the track to pierce the field with a drive, reaching his 22nd First Class century. Moments after achieving his own milestone, Sai Sudharsan’s brilliant innings came to an end, as he mistimed a pull shot off Corey Rocchiccioli.
Dhruv Jurel then joined Rahul, making his aggressive intentions clear by pulling his very first ball for a boundary. Their partnership accelerated rapidly, with both batsmen taking on the spinners and focusing their attack on the mid-wicket area. Jurel quickly brought up his fifty off just 59 balls before unfortunately falling to a top edge.
With just 30 runs left to win, Rahul smashed a magnificent slog-sweep off Murphy for six, setting the stage for Nitish Kumar Reddy, who then hit two consecutive, exquisite cover drives to secure a truly memorable and landmark victory.
Match Summary: Australia-A scored 420 and 185. India-A replied with 194 and then a sensational 413/5 in 91.3 overs. Key performances included K.L. Rahul’s unbeaten 176, Sai Sudharsan’s 100, Dhruv Jurel’s 56, and Todd Murphy’s 3/114 for Australia-A. K.L. Rahul was deservedly named Player of the Match. India-A emerged victorious, winning the two-match series 1-0.