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India A Set Australia A a 363 Target After Late Second-Innings Collapse

The hosts’ dramatic loss of wickets on Thursday handed Australia a full final-day chase on a spin-friendly Puducherry surface that will shape selection talk.

Overview

  • Kumar Kushagra returned from a Day 1 injury to score 113 on Wednesday as India A compiled 334 and grabbed a 163-run first-innings lead, with left-arm spinner Shams Mulani taking four wickets to rip through Australia A.
  • India A were then bowled out for 199 on Thursday after being 93/1, with skipper Devdutt Padikkal making 59 and Kushagra unbeaten on 46 at the end of the innings.
  • Todd Murphy was the visitors’ standout bowler in India A’s second innings, taking four wickets after earlier claiming three in Australia A’s first innings.
  • Australia A closed Day 3 on 55 for 2 and must score 308 more runs to win the match on the final day or bat out the day to save it, leaving the result finely balanced.
  • The match has been governed by sharp turn and slow bounce at the CAP-Siechem pitch, and individual displays here will be watched closely as auditions for senior selection, especially ahead of future India tours.