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 at 333/4 in Galle on Thursday.Opting to bat first, the visitors were fueled by a fluent century from Sai Sudharsan, who created a composite 132 off 175 deliveries. The left-hander was in sublime touch from the start, combining solid defense with elegant stroke play to keep the Sri Lankan bowlers at bay for large parts of the day.Sudharsan has struck the perfect balance between patience and aggression, punishing everything he lands, respecting the conditions on a surface that offers occasional assistance to the bowlers. Their opening stand of 82 runs with Aayush Pandey (25) provided a steady start before India slipped away briefly with the loss of wickets at the other end.Even after the early dismissal of Devdutt Padikkal and a short period of consolidation, Sudharsan ensured that India A remained firmly in control. His 19 boundaries reflected fluency and authority, as he absorbed pressure and then changed gears once it settled.
Jurel and Rasheed extend the dominance
Sudharsan’s dismissal at 217/4 brought no relief for the hosts as captain Dhruv Jurel and Shaik Rasheed put on an unbeaten 116-run partnership for the fifth wicket.Jurel, leading from the front, played a composed knock of 68 not out, rotating the strike intelligently and capitalizing on 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 in 86 overs of play.The Sri Lanka A bowlers worked hard but found limited success, with left-arm spinner Dilum Sudeera returning figures of 2/98 from a long spell of 29 overs. However, a lack of consistent breakthroughs allowed India A to continue building partnerships throughout the day.
India A firm in command
By stumps, the story of the day was India A’s dominance through sustained partnerships and disciplined batting. From Sudharsan’s anchoring effort to the Jurel-Rasheed stand, the visitors controlled the proceedings from start to finish.With the momentum firmly on their side, India A will look to push on and convert their strong start into a commanding first innings total in the remaining days of the four-day match.
