India A posted 557 all out in the first innings against England Lions
As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is set to wrap up in three more days, India A are already three days into the first First-Class game of the shadow tour of England. The team led by Abhimanyu Easwaran have shown promise for what’s to come for the Test series against England by batting for almost five sessions and posting 557 in their first innings.
Players who are and aren’t part of the Test series squad have stepped up with performances at various points with some of them impressing on the first tour.
Here are the most impressive ones.
The keeper-batter made a big impression as a batter scoring a wonderful 94 off 120 balls that included 11 boundaries and a six. Even though it was disappointing to see his wonderful knock cut short before reaching a hundred, his 195-run partnership with Karun Nair for the fourth wicket laid the foundation for India A massive total.
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With the gloves though, Jurel was guilty of dropping two catches and giving away cheap byes. Depending on the surface, the reserve keeper of the Indian squad can make it to the playing XI solely as a batter.
Many have cried foul when the Mumbaikar was dropped from the main squad despite his ever consistent numbers in red-ball cricket and his innings of 92 proved those calls right. Sarfaraz applied himself under the bright skies, had to deal with the new-ball movement and then played a fluent knock which was studded with 13 boundaries and a strike rate of 77.
He can still be drafted into the main squad but will he be there is the question. Besides his batting, Sarfaraz is also a reliable slip fielder and at short leg.
Definitely the star of this tour after his fairytale-esque comeback to the Indian national team after eight long years of domestic exile. Nair is in the form of his life with his exploits in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Ranji Trophy. There was little to scrutinise the classy right-handers double hundred in the first innings as he felt right at home on a flat deck at Canterbury. Nair is a serious contender for the No.3 spot vacated by Virat Kohli’s retirement.
The pace had to be patient for a long time as the batters had an upperhand for the majority of the match. He was able to get slight movement with the new Dukes ball but had to wait until the third day’s morning for his time and he made the best in the window with a burst of three wickets to bring the visitors back in the game. Getting rid of the centurion Max Holden should’ve gotten Mukesh a starting XI berth in Leeds, but that might happen if one of the pacers in the main squad suffers an injury.
The Haryana pacer shot to fame with his brilliant 10-wicket haul in an innings against Kerala in the Ranji Trophy and his consistent performances in the white-ball tournaments as well. Even though he didn’t do well for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2025, it was apparent why he was brought in for the shadow tour. Kamboj was impressive whenever he got the ball in his hand, even when the Lions’ batters were dominant.
The medium-pacer got the seam movement required to trouble left-handers and kept his lines tight. He was the only one with a wicket for more than two sessions said how quickly he adapted to the conditions. Even though he wouldn’t make it to the main squad, the 24-year-old is a great prospect in the near future.
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