Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan delivered outstanding performances on Day 2 of the first unofficial Test against Australia A in Mackay, putting India A firmly in control. By the end of the day, India had reached 208/2, boasting a lead of 120 runs, with Padikkal unbeaten on 80 off 167 balls and Sudharsan on 96 off 185 balls.
Early Setbacks Overcome
Despite early dismissals of Abhimanyu Easwaran and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored just 5 runs and was out to Fergus O’Neill, Padikkal and Sudharsan steadied the innings. Easwaran was run out for 12, leaving India struggling at 30/2. However, the young pair formed a solid partnership, stitching together an impressive 178 runs without losing their wicket.
Steadying the Ship
As Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney tried seven different bowlers to break the partnership, Padikkal and Sudharsan maintained their composure, effectively handling the varied bowling attack. Their performance put pressure on the Australian side, who struggled to find a breakthrough and left the field demoralized by the end of the day.
Earlier Struggles for India A
Earlier in the day, Mukesh Kumar played a vital role in dismantling the Australian batting lineup, taking six wickets for 46 runs in just 18.4 overs. He dismissed Connolly for 37 and followed up by taking out Josh Philippe for 4 runs. Nitish Kumar Reddy also made a contribution by getting McSweeney out for 39 runs, limiting Australia’s total to 195.
Australia A’s First Innings Advantage
In the first innings, Australia A had gained an 88-run lead over India A, who could only manage 107 runs. Padikkal scored 36 runs off 77 balls, while Sudharsan added 21 runs. Navdeep Saini contributed with a quick 23 off 42 balls. Brendan Doggett was the standout bowler for Australia A, claiming 6 wickets for just 15 runs in 11 overs. Jordan Buckingham added two more wickets, while Todd Murphy and Fergus O’Neill chipped in with one wicket each.
With a commanding position, India A will look to build on their advantage and aim for a strong finish in the remaining days of the match.
