India A and Australia A will next engage in three unofficial ODIs, starting on September 30.
Star Indian wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul has continued his brilliant run of form from the recently concluded five-Test series in England. Coming in for the second India A fixture against Australia A, the gloveman has notched up a spectacular ton and spearheaded India’s charge with the willow in a mammoth run-chase of 412, to hand a five-wicket victory to the hosts.
After returning back for just a 24-ball 11, the batter showcased tremendous grit in the second innings to score a half-century. But unfortunately, he left the crease on 74 not out on Thursday due to suffering from a fever. However, Rahul continued with the same momentum while resuming the innings with youngster Sai Sudharsan after an early dismissal of spinner Manav Suthar on Day 4.
After four days of intense gameplay, the previous red-ball fixture between these two sides ended in a draw. Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel had starred with their magnificent knocks of 150 and 140, respectively. Notably, this sublime knock has also earned the former a call-up to the Indian Test squad for the upcoming home series against the West Indies, starting on October 2. Earlier, Padikkal had donned the national whites in only two matches since his Test debut in March 2024.
However, after electing to field first in the latest fixture in Lucknow, India A conceded a huge 420 runs to the visitors, despite a stunning five-wicket haul from Suthar. In response, the hosts were bundled out for just 194 as only four other batters, except for Sudharsan (75), managed to put up a double-digit score. But an impressive comeback from the bowling unit saw India A restrict the opposition under a reachable target, before the match-winning partnership between Rahul (176) and Sudharsan (100).
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The 33-year-old has just had a smashing tour of England in the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series. The player became the third-highest run-scorer of the hard-fought series, just after the Indian skipper Shubman Gill and England’s top run-getter Joe Root. Rahul finished the five Tests with 532 runs, including two hundreds and as many half-centuries to his name.
The latest ton against Australia A indicates the continuation of the red-hot form of the batter, before stepping into the successive red-ball series at home against the West Indies, followed by South Africa, in November 2025. On the other hand, Sudharsan will also be entering his maiden home Test fixtures on the back of consecutive solid performances against Australia A. Previously, the 23-year-old scored 140 runs in three matches in his debut red-ball tour in England.
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