New Delhi: India A wrapped up a confident showing in the first unofficial Test against England Lions, with their top-order batters showcasing fine form on a benign pitch in a match that ended in a draw. On a batting-friendly surface, all of India A’s top four — Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Dhruv Jurel, and Nitish Kumar Reddy — scored half-centuries, preparing themselves well for the upcoming red-ball challenges.
In response to the Lions’ formidable 587 in the first innings, India A managed 557, with Sarfaraz Khan and Karun Nair standing out. In the second innings, India A reached 241/2 in just 41 overs before the match was declared drawn with 25 overs still left on the final day. Jaiswal struck a brisk 64, Easwaran added 68, and both Jurel (53*) and Reddy (52*) remained unbeaten, underlining the depth in India’s batting reserves.
India A coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar’s tactical move to send Reddy up the order paid off, with the young batter capitalizing on the opportunity with three sixes in his quickfire knock. Jurel continued his strong form, following his 94 in the first innings with another solid outing, making a strong case for a future role as a specialist batter.
While the batters enjoyed a productive outing, the bowling attack, like their English counterparts, found little assistance on a placid pitch. Mukesh Kumar was the standout with figures of 3/92, but overall, the bowlers toiled without much reward.
Meanwhile, ahead of the second unofficial Test beginning June 6 in Northampton, KL Rahul is set to join the India A squad. According to a report in the Times of India, Rahul chose competitive match time in England over training in rain-affected Mumbai, requesting an early departure approved by the BCCI. He is expected to open alongside Jaiswal in the upcoming five-match Test series against England.
However, newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill and fellow Gujarat Titans teammate B Sai Sudharsan will skip the second India A game. Instead, they will depart for England with the main Test squad on June 6. Gill, who took over Test captaincy following Rohit Sharma’s retirement on May 7, will lead India in the series opener at Leeds. The Indian team is scheduled for a four-day intra-squad match at Beckenham starting June 16 as part of final preparations.
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