The second unofficial Test between India A and Australia A starts on Tuesday (September 23) in Lucknow. Here’s the round-up for all the action on day two.
Toddy Murphy and Henry Thornton frustrate India A with the bat
Resuming the day on 350-9, Australia A's last pair – Test spinner Todd Murphy and No. 11 Henry Thornton – frustrated the hosts with a 91-run stand. Murphy scored 76 off 89 balls, hitting 12 fours and a six to bring up his maiden first-class fifty. His previous best score in the format was 41, made in the Ahmedabad Test against India in 2023. Meanwhile, Thornton’s 46-ball 32 not out is also his highest first-class score. Australia A mounted a challenging total of 420 in 97.2 overs. Manav Suthar (5-107) was the pick of the India A bowlers.
Sai Sudharsan puts up a lone fight for India A
In response, India A had a torrid start after they slipped to 75-5. Test batters KL Rahul (11), Devdutt Padikkal (1), Dhruv Jurel (1), and Nitish Kumar Reddy (1) had a poor outing, except one – Sai Sudharsan.
Padikkal and Jurel would be particularly disappointed, having failed to build on their hundreds in the first unofficial Test. The situation went from bad to worse for the home side when Prasidh Krishna had to retire hurt for 16 after being struck on the helmet by a bouncer. Their innings eventually ended on 194, conceding a 226-run lead.
Had it not been for Sai Sudharsan’s 140-ball 75, India A would have folded much earlier, and the deficit could have been bigger. Sudharsan, who also hit 73 in the previous match, will hope to be retained as India’s No. 3 when they announce their Test squad for the upcoming West Indies series.
Thornton, following his career-best first-class score, recorded his best bowling figures of 4-36. His only other four-wicket haul was 4-42, which came for South Australia against Victoria in their 2024-25 title-winning Sheffield Shield campaign.
Australia A slipped to 16-3 in their second innings, leading now by 242 runs; Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar, and Suthar picked up a wicket apiece.
2nd unofficial Test, India A vs Australia A
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- Ball by ball Over
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