India A control attack in Galle. Sudharsan masterclass, Jurel-Rasheed stand leaves Sri Lanka A chaser of shadows |: Cricket News:
NEW DELHI: India A stamped their authority on the opening day of the first unofficial Test against Sri Lanka A, finishing in a commanding position of 333/4 in Galle on Thursday.Electing to bat first, the visitors were propelled by a fluent century from Sai Sudharsan, who made a composed 132 off 175 deliveries. The left-hander was in sublime touch from the start, combining solid defense with beautiful stroke play to keep the Sri Lankan bowlers at bay for much of the day.Sudharsan has found the perfect balance between patience and aggression, punishing anything that goes wrong while respecting the conditions on a surface that offers occasional help to the bowlers. His 82-run opening stand with Aayush Pandey (25) provided a steady start before India briefly stumbled at the loss of wickets at the other end.Even after Devdutt Padikkal’s early dismissal and a short period of consolidation, Sudharsan ensured that India A remained firmly in control. His 19 boundaries showed competence and authority, as he soaked up the pressure and then shifted gears when settled.
Jurel and Rasheed extended dominance
Sudharsan’s dismissal at 217/4 was no consolation for the hosts, as captain Dhruv Jurel and Shaik Rasheed led an unbeaten 116-run partnership for the fifth wicket.Jurel, leading from the front, played 68 not out, rotating the strike smartly and exploiting the loose deliveries. At the other end, Rasheed complemented him perfectly with a confident unbeaten 53, showing maturity against pace and spin.The duo ensured that India A did not lose momentum in the final session, maintaining a healthy scoring rate of 3.87 runs per over 86 overs of the game.Sri Lanka A’s bowlers toiled hard but found limited success, with left-arm spinner Dilum Sudeera returning figures of 2/98 from a lengthy 29-over spell. However, a lack of consistent breakthroughs allowed India A to continue building partnerships throughout the day.
India A strong ruler
Through the stumps, the story of the day was India A’s dominance through sustained partnership and disciplined batting. From Sudharsan’s anchoring effort to Jurel-Rasheed’s stand, the visitors controlled proceedings from start to finish.With momentum firmly on their side, India A will look to continue and convert their strong start into a commanding first-innings total in the remaining days of the four-day fixture.
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