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KL Rahul's gritty 176*, Sai's ton help India-A crush Australia-A in 2nd unofficial Test

Soumyajit Dutta

KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan [Source: @gameof_gory/X.com]KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan [Source: @gameof_gory/X.com]

India-A completed a commanding five-wicket victory over Australia-A in the second unofficial Test at Ekana Cricket Stadium, wrapping up the series in style. The hosts displayed a strong all-round performance, with their bowlers dismantling the opposition in both innings, before the batters, led by KL Rahul and B Sai Sudharsan, sealed the chase. Here's a look at how the four-day affair went down.

Australia A start strong against India

Australia-A, opting to bat first, posted a competitive 420 in their opening innings. Nathan McSweeney anchored the effort with a patient 74 off 162 balls, while Jack Edwards struck an aggressive 88 from 78 deliveries. 

Todd Murphy's counter-attacking 76 off 89 balls added further strength to the middle order. For India A, left-arm spinner Manav Suthar was the standout, claiming 5 for 107 in 32 overs, while Gurnoor Brar chipped in with three key wickets.

In reply, India-A faltered early and were bundled out for just 194 runs. Only B Sai Sudharsan showed resistance, scoring 75 off 140 balls with six fours and a six. Narayan Jagadeesan (38) and Ayush Badoni (21) offered brief support, but the batting unit crumbled against Henry Thornton, who starred with 4 for 36. Todd Murphy also struck twice to keep the Indians under pressure.

India put pressure on Australia's second innings

Australia-A's second innings, however, saw a collapse against India A's disciplined attack. Captain McSweeney fought hard with an unbeaten 85 off 149 deliveries, while Josh Philippe's quickfire 50 off 48 balls added some momentum. 

Nevertheless, the rest of the batting lineup faltered as Brar (3 for 42) and Suthar (3 for 50) ripped through the order. Mohammed Siraj and Yash Thakur shared four wickets between them as the hosts were bowled out for just 185, setting India A a target of 412.

KL Rahul-Sai pair up to chase mammoth target

The chase was all about patience and partnerships. KL Rahul, leading from the front, compiled a magnificent unbeaten 176 off 210 balls, striking 16 fours and four sixes. He stitched a crucial 100-run stand with Sudharsan, who scored a composed 100 off 172 deliveries. Their partnership for the second wicket set the tone for India's dominance in the fourth innings.

Dhruv Jurel added a brisk 56 off 66 balls with five fours and three sixes to accelerate the pursuit, while Rahul held firm at the other end. Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with an unbeaten 16 off 14 balls as India comfortably overhauled the target, finishing at 413 for 5 in 91.3 overs.