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India A and England Lions drew the first unofficial Test, with all top four India A batters scoring half-centuries.
Yashasvi Jaiswal raises his bat for India ‘A’ against England Lions. (PC: X)
India A batters relished their time on a flat batting track, with all top four players scoring half-centuries as the first unofficial ‘Test’ against England Lions concluded in a draw on Monday.
England Lions wrapped up their first innings with a solid 587 runs, 30 more than India A’s. In response, Yashasvi Jaiswal (64 off 60 balls), captain Abhimanyu Easwaran (68 off 87 balls), Dhruv Jurel (53 not out), and Nitish Kumar Reddy (52 not out off 47 balls) all made valuable contributions, gaining runs and confidence ahead of the second ‘Test’ in Northampton, starting June
The match was declared a draw after India A reached 241 for 2 in 41 overs, with 25 overs still remaining on the final day.
India A coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar made the strategic decision to promote Reddy to No. 4, allowing him to play aggressively, as he is almost certain to feature in the first Test against England at Leeds. Similarly, Jurel, who had scored 94 in the first innings, bolstered his case with another half-century, showcasing his technique to potentially play solely as a batter.
The second innings began with Jaiswal hitting a six off left-arm seamer Josh Hull, and in the post-lunch session, Jaiswal and Easwaran kept pace with each other, both striking eight boundaries. The pitch offered little assistance, and the Lions’ bowling attack, like India’s, failed to trouble the batters.
It was crucial for the Test squad members to spend time in the middle, and the team management would be pleased with the outcome. Reddy capitalized on the opportunity, hitting three big sixes. Jurel also demonstrated his ability to cut, drive, and pull effectively.
Sarfaraz Khan, who scored 92 in the first innings, and double-centurion Karun Nair, part of the Test squad, did not bat in their usual positions as they had already had sufficient match time in the first innings.
Although the second innings runs had little impact on the outcome of the match, they served as an extended net session, beneficial for the four half-centurions. However, the bowling performance was lackluster, primarily due to the flat pitch.
Brief Scores: India A 557 and 241/2 in 41 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 64, Abhimanyu Easwaran 68, Dhruv Jurel 53 not out, Nitish Kumar Reddy 52 not out). England Lions 587 (Tom Haines 171, Max Holden 101, Dan Mousley 113, Mukesh Kumar 3/92). Match Drawn.
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