India A had a mixed outing on Day 1 of the second unofficial Test against Australia A at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow. While left-arm spinner Manav Suthar stole the spotlight with a brilliant five-wicket haul, senior pacers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna failed to make an impact as Australia A reached 350/9 at stumps.
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, India A had a dream start with Prasidh Krishna removing Campbell Kellaway in the fourth over. Mohammed Siraj later dismissed Sam Konstas for 49, but that’s where the momentum shifted.
Skipper Nathan McSweeney (74 off 162) held the innings together, showing composure under pressure. Later, Jack Edwards launched a counterattack, smashing 88 runs off just 78 balls to push the visitors past the 300 mark. At stumps, Todd Murphy and Henry Thornton were unbeaten, leaving Australia A in a strong position.
The day belonged to Manav Suthar, who spun a web around the Australian middle and lower order. Bowling tirelessly across 28 overs, he finished with 5/93, his fifth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manav Suthar | 28 | 4 | 93 | 5 | 3.30 |
His victims included big names like Cooper Connolly, Will Sutherland, and Josh Philippe, proving his ability to trouble both established and emerging batters. Suthar performance was a big positive for India A, especially on a day when the pacers were below par.
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Mohammed Siraj, returning after a break, struggled to find rhythm. He bowled 13 overs for 73 runs, picking up just one wicket. Prasidh Krishna wasn’t much better, conceding 63 runs in 14 overs for his lone dismissal. Both pacers leaked runs at over 4.5 an over, putting extra pressure on the spinners.
Gurnoor Brar offered some support with two wickets, but India pace attack overall looked flat compared to Suthar incisive spells.
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With Australia A already at 350/9, the visitors will look to push past 400 on Day 2. For India A, much will depend on how quickly they can wrap up the innings and how their batters respond on a surface offering some turn.
For Suthar, this performance not only boosts his credentials at the India A level but also strengthens his case as a future prospect in India spin department.
