AUS-A vs. IND-A 2024/25, AUS-A vs. IND-A 1st Informal Evaluation Report, October 31 – November 03, 2024

Stumps India A 107 and 208 for 2 (Sai ​​Sudharsan 96*, Padikkal 80*, O’Neill 1-33) leading Australia A 195 (McSweeney 39, Connolly 37, Mukesh 6-46, Prasidh 3-59) by 120 runs

Trailing by 88 runs in the first innings, India slumped to 30 for 2 behind the wickets of captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Abhimanyu. But Sai Sudharsan and Padikkal steadied the ship with an unbroken partnership of 178 runs as batting eased on a flat surface as the day progressed.

They learned a lesson from India A’s disastrous first innings of 107 when the batting numbers exploded. Sai Sudharsan and Padikkal showed patience and judged the full length as they closed centuries. They waited to pick the bowling, which was very different from the opening day.

Both batsmen made good use of their feet for opener Todd Murphy, who did not bowl and had a total of 54 in 17 overs. His struggle escalated just before the end when a delivery slipped through his fingers and landed near the square leg umpire.

Abhimanyu is considered as a contender to start the Test series due to the uncertainty of Rohit Sharma. But he was at sea against the new ball as O’Neill produced a lively move.

Abhimanyu was lucky to survive for 2 after he promptly dismissed Jordan Buckingham at third leg so that the delivery was ruled a no-ball. The pressure kept building on Abhimanyu, who tried to play well and got some hard hits. But he pushed his luck after eluding a speedster only to be bowled by Buckingham at mid-off and he threw down the stumps leaving the diving batter close to his spot.

Padikkal had leg treatment late in the day, but battled on as India A set a tough target and will focus soon on the Australia A batsmen hoping to partner Usman Khawaja in the first Test.

Australia A resumed their first innings at 99 for 4, trailing by just eight runs, with captain McSweeney in a good position to boost his bid for first Test selection. McSweeney survived the first day of trouble after the early dismissals of trial entrants Bancroft, Sam Konstas and Marcus Harris.

Connolly, 21, decided to attack and quickly passed McSweeney after scoring 22 runs in a whirlwind eight balls. His ability to switch gears is the reason Connolly has risen so quickly and is seen as a candidate for the Test Tour in Sri Lanka early next year.

Unlike most batsmen so far in the game, Connolly bowled with ease and underlined why in Western Australian cricket circles he is likened to former Test batsman Shaun Marsh. He looked set for a fourth century from six innings in his first-class debut before being dismissed for 37 when he misplayed a delivery from Mukesh to square-leg.

It led to quick wickets Josh Philippe and McSweeney, whose commitment to defense was finally broken when he was caught at gully after being lured to drive a full delivery from Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Reddy managed to find a late move that tricked McSweeney into a brilliant performance of 1 for 14 in seven overs.

Australia A led by just 29 runs on the wicket of McSweeney before Murphy hit a breezy 33 to overwhelm India A. It was left to Mukesh to finish the innings as he dismissed Brendan Doggett with his wicket fifth and took Murphy. – who was the fourth player in an innings to cross the 30s.