Photo via The Hindu

Onus on India-A to force a decider

India-A’s second one-day encounter with Australia-A shifts to a decider after a heavy defeat in the opener. The Indian side, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, collapsed to 149 all out while chasing 275 under floodlights, with Rajat Patidar the only batter to reach a half-century.

The Australian pace attack, spearheaded by Mahli Beardman, dismantled the top order, though a brief partnership between Patidar and Nishant Sindhu offered a glimmer of resistance. Australia-A, meanwhile, posted 274 thanks to a partnership between captain Will Sutherland and Nathan McSweeney, though their approach on a pitch that turned sharply proved problematic.

Beardman noted the ball’s erratic movement under artificial lighting, raising questions about its behavior in daylight. With spinners Sindhu, Anukul Roy, and Vipraj Nigam expected to play a pivotal role, India-A must stabilize its middle order to avoid repeating the first-match collapse.

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