India A sealed a five-wicket victory over Australia A in the second unofficial Test held on Friday, September 26, at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Chasing a daunting 412-run target, KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan stole the show with commanding centuries that steered the hosts to a memorable win.
KL Rahul: Skipper Dhruv Jurel won the toss and elected to bowl first. Australia A responded with a strong total of 420, powered by half-centuries from captain Nathan McSweeney (74), Jack Edwards (88), and Todd Murphy (76). Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar starred with the ball, returning a five-wicket haul to restrict further damage.
In reply, India A endured a dramatic collapse in their first innings. While Sai Sudharsan fought hard with a classy 75, the middle-order crumbled as Devdutt Padikkal, Jurel, and Nitish Reddy were dismissed for just one run each. The side eventually folded for 194, with Australian quick Henry Thornton claiming four wickets to tighten his team’s grip on the match.
KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan Lead India A’s Stunning Comeback in 2nd Innings
Australia A faltered in their second innings, collapsing for just 185 runs after failing to replicate their earlier batting display. McSweeney (85*) and Josh Philippe (50) were the only ones to notch up half-centuries, while the rest of the batting order struggled.
India A’s bowlers, Gurnoor Brar and Manav Suthar, starred with the ball, claiming three wickets apiece. Despite the low total, Australia A still managed to set India A a daunting target of 412 runs.
Chasing under pressure, openers N Jagadeesan and KL Rahul provided a solid start with an 85-run stand. KL Rahul anchored the innings with a magnificent unbeaten 176, while Sai Sudharsan supported brilliantly with a century (100).
KL Rahul: Captain Dhruv Jurel added further momentum with a fluent 56, guiding India A to a memorable five-wicket win. With this victory, India A sealed the two-match series 1-0, after the first unofficial Test ended in a draw.
Both teams will now shift focus to a three-match unofficial ODI series, scheduled from September 30 to October 5.
