Known for his deceptive flight and diagonal approach, left-arm spinner Manav Suthar unveiled a slightly tweaked strategy on Tuesday. He bowled with increased pace through the air, yet crucially maintained his signature bite, a tactic that paid rich dividends for India-A.
At the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Suthar proved to be the wrecker-in-chief, snatching five crucial wickets on the inaugural day of the second ‘Test’ against Australia-A. His phenomenal spell was instrumental in keeping the visiting side to a manageable 350 for nine, overcoming commendable half-centuries from Nathan McSweeney (74) and a quickfire 88 off just 78 balls from Jack Edwards.
Coming in at number seven, Jack Edwards was the sole Australian batsman who managed to take on Suthar effectively. The aggressive 25-year-old launched a six over long-on and expertly utilized sweeps and reverse sweeps to accelerate the scoring. He even took a liking to Mohammed Siraj’s bowling, reaching his fifty in a brisk 46 deliveries. However, his spirited innings ended tantalizingly short of a century when he mistimed a leading edge off Gurnoor Brar, caught at mid-off.
On the challenging mixed-soil pitch, Suthar proved to be a formidable opponent for the rest of the Australian lineup. He expertly breached Oliver Peake’s defense with a delivery through the gate, had Cooper Connolly smartly caught behind, and even secured a return catch to send Josh Philippe back for 39, just after being hit for three boundaries in an eventful over.
Captain Dhruv Jurel’s tactical placement at leg-slip paid off handsomely as Will Sutherland inadvertently flicked the ball directly into his waiting hands. Soon after, Corey Rocchiccioli’s ill-advised reverse slog completed Suthar’s impressive five-wicket haul.
Earlier in the innings, Australia-A captain Nathan McSweeney anchored the innings with a patient knock, building significant partnerships: an 86-run stand with Sam Konstas, 46 with Oliver Peake, and 52 with Josh Philippe. His valuable innings of 74 concluded when he pulled a delivery from Brar straight to mid-wicket. Sam Konstas, who had been dominant in the prior match, was kept relatively quiet, eventually departing for 49 after Mohammed Siraj found his outside edge.
India-A, having chosen to field first, saw Prasidh Krishna make an early breakthrough by dismissing Campbell Kellaway cheaply. Both Krishna and Siraj delivered disciplined new-ball spells, effectively neutralizing Australia-A’s opening batsmen. However, it was Manav Suthar’s relentless pressure and consistent wicket-taking ability that ultimately defined the day, placing India-A in a strong position, despite Jack Edwards’ late counter-attack.
The Scores: Australia-A finished the day at 350 for 9 after 84 overs. Notable batting performances included Sam Konstas (49), Nathan McSweeney (74), and Jack Edwards (88). Manav Suthar was the star with the ball for India-A, claiming 5 wickets for 93 runs. India-A won the toss and elected to field.