Galle: Sahan Arachchige leads Sri Lanka A recovery against India A
Sri Lanka A captain Sahan Arachchige scored an unbeaten 83 to guide his team to 288 for 5 at stumps on the opening day of the second unofficial Test against India A in Galle. Despite India A bowlers Yash Thakur and Saransh Jain each taking two wickets, Sri Lanka A maintained control after recovering from an initial steady start.
Arachchige’s innings of 83 came from 148 balls, featuring nine fours and one six. He was instrumental in a 99-run partnership for the fifth wicket with wicketkeeper Anjala Bandara, who contributed 42 before being dismissed by off-spinner Jain.
India A Bowlers Make Early Impact
Yash Thakur finished the day with figures of 2 for 32 from 14 overs, while Saransh 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, went wicketless, giving away 64 runs from 16 overs.
On a slow pitch in Galle, wickets proved challenging to secure. Sri Lanka A openers Pawantha Weerasinghe, with 39 runs, and Sohan di Livera, with 28 runs, established a 53-run opening partnership. Thakur provided India A with the initial breakthrough when Di Livera edged a ball to Devdutt Padikkal at slip.
Weerasinghe batted through most of the morning session before Brar dismissed him just before lunch, with the left-hander edging behind to captain and wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel.
Middle Order Contributions for Sri Lanka A
Following the openers’ departure, Nuwanidu Fernando, who scored 44, and Ashen Bandara, with 34 runs, added 57 runs for the third wicket, helping Sri Lanka A maintain a strong position. Jain broke this partnership by having Fernando caught by Padikkal. Thakur then removed Ashen, who also edged behind to Jurel.
Fast bowler Auqib Nabi did not manage to trouble the Sri Lanka A openers with the new ball, concluding with figures of 0 for 50 from 15 overs. Brar bowled with more pace and effectively used the short ball, but secured only one wicket.
Ansari faced a difficult outing, bowling several loose deliveries that allowed the batters to score freely. His leg-spin did not pose significant challenges to the Sri Lanka A batters, who capitalised on his missed lengths.
Squad Changes and Player Opportunities
The India A team management, led by Hrishikesh Kanitkar, was expected to make several changes to the playing XI for the second unofficial Test. This approach aims to provide every squad member with an opportunity during the exposure tour, especially after the first four-day ‘Test’ ended in a draw.
Gurnoor Brar was anticipated to be included in the lineup, potentially replacing Yash Thakur. Brar recently made an impressive debut in an ODI against Afghanistan, and the senior team is looking to develop its second line of pacers ahead of upcoming tours. Similarly, Manav Suthar, who had a 10-wicket haul in his Test debut against Afghanistan and a successful county stint with Warwickshire, was expected to bolster the slow bowling attack, possibly leading to Harsh Dubey being rested.
Other players who did not feature in the first game, such as opener Aman Mokhade and leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari, were also in contention for a place. Mokhade could replace Ayush Pandey, who did not score a half-century in either innings of the first match. Ansari’s inclusion would likely be at the expense of off-spinner Saransh Jain. However, Ayush Pandey could retain his spot if Sai Sudharsan is deemed unfit, as Sudharsan retired hurt in the second innings of the first match and did not participate further.
The final score for Sri Lanka A at the end of the first day was 288 for 5.
Read Also
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
