Sri Lanka A captain Sahan Arachchige scored an unbeaten 83 to help his team reach 288 for 5 at stumps on the opening day of the second unofficial Test against India A in Galle. Despite Yash Thakur and Saransh Jain each taking two wickets for India A, Sri Lanka A maintained control after an initial steady start.
Arachchige remained not out with 83 runs from 148 balls, which included nine fours and a six. He also formed a significant 99-run partnership for the fifth wicket with wicketkeeper Anjala Bandara. Bandara contributed 42 runs before being bowled by off-spinner Jain.
Bowling Efforts for India A
Thakur concluded the day with figures of 2 for 32 from 14 overs, while Jain recorded 2 for 77 from 24 overs. Fast bowler Gurnoor Brar also claimed one wicket, conceding 49 runs in 15 overs. Leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari, playing his first red-ball match in six years, did not take any wickets, giving away 64 runs from his 16 overs.
The pitch in Galle was slow, making it challenging for bowlers to secure wickets. Sri Lanka A openers Pawantha Weerasinghe, who scored 39, and Sohan di Livera, with 28 runs, established a 53-run opening partnership. Thakur eventually provided the breakthrough for India A when Di Livera edged a ball to Devdutt Padikkal at slip.
Weerasinghe batted through much of the morning session before Brar dismissed him just before lunch, with the left-hander edging the ball to captain and wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel. Following this, Nuwanidu Fernando, who scored 44, and Ashen Bandara, with 34 runs, added 57 runs for the third wicket, keeping Sri Lanka A in a strong position.
Jain broke this partnership by having Fernando caught by Padikkal. Subsequently, Thakur removed Ashen, who also edged behind to Jurel. Fast bowler Auqib Nabi, who had made his India A debut with a five-wicket haul in the previous match, was unable to trouble the Sri Lanka A openers with the new ball, finishing with figures of 0 for 50 from 15 overs.
Team Changes and Player Opportunities
For this second unofficial Test, India A was expected to make several changes to their playing XI, aiming to provide exposure to more players. Gurnoor Brar and Manav Suthar were anticipated to be included in the lineup. Brar, who recently impressed in an ODI against Afghanistan, was expected to get an opportunity, potentially leading to Yash Thakur being rested.
Similarly, Suthar, known for his 10-wicket haul on his Test debut against Afghanistan and a successful county stint with Warwickshire, was also likely to feature in the spin attack, which could mean resting left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey. Zeeshan Ansari, another player who did not participate in the first game, was also in contention for a place, though his inclusion might have meant replacing off-spinner Saransh Jain.
Opener Aman Mokhade was also waiting for an opportunity, potentially replacing Ayush Pandey, who did not score a half-century in either innings of the first match. However, Ayush Pandey could have retained his place if Sai Sudharsan was deemed unfit after retiring hurt in the second innings of the first unofficial Test and not participating further in the match or fielding.
The first four-day unofficial Test ended in a draw, with opener Sai Sudharsan and captain Dhruv Jurel scoring centuries.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka A 1st Innings: 288/5 (Sahan Arachchige 83 batting, Nuwanidu Fernando 44, Anjala Bandara 42, Yash Thakur 2/32, Saransh Jain 2/77, Gurnoor Brar 1/49).
The match continues from Thursday in Galle.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
