It is a shame that fans did not get to see this incredible game live on screens, as the BCCI didn’t make arrangements to live stream the India A vs Australia A four-day two-game series. But what transpired on the last day of the second game in Lucknow was absolutely magical. KL Rahul, the biggest name playing the game, rose up to his potential and hammered a scintillating 176* in order to guide India A to a famous 5-wicket win over the Aussies. Why famous? Well, India A were tasked to chase down a mammoth 412 runs in the fourth innings.
Never in the last 43 years has a team chased down a 400+ in a first-class game in India. But here is this power-packed India A team, led by Dhruv Jurel, chased down the target within 93 overs. An emphatic win to clinch the series after the first game ended in a draw.
KL Rahul’s masterclass was just too good
KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj were added to the India A squad for the second unofficial test in order to prepare for the upcoming Test series against the West Indies, starting October 2. Phenomenally, Rahul announced that he is more than ready. After a rare failure in the first innings, the Karnataka-born batter dominated the entire second innings. It was on the back of his marathon innings that India A managed to reach the target with aplomb.
It came as a huge concern when Rahul was retired hurt on Day 3 and went into the pavilion with a physio. No one knew if he was hit or what the matter was. But gladly, the international star came back after Australia A sent Manav Suthar early on Day 4. Rahul joined forces with Sai Sudharsan, and the duo completely pushed the visitors aside.
Rahul batted with utmost composure till his century and quickly turned into a beast afterwards. He hit four sixes after his ton that took his strike rate above 80! Exact half of his runs (88) were scored in boundaries, signifying how brutal he was to the visiting bowlers. Todd Murphy, who has impressed in subcontinent conditions, took the most toll as he was hit for 59 runs in just 53 balls by Rahul.
Sai Sudharsan plays his part to perfection
If Rahul was the anchor, Sai Sudharsan was the perfect foil. The left-hander looked compact, assured, and never hurried. He brought up his century just after lunch on Day 4, his strokes included sweeps, drives, and even the occasional reverse to upset the spinners. His stand with Rahul stretched Australia A to the brink as the pair added over 143 runs together, breaking the back of the chase.
Sudharsan eventually fell right after reaching three figures, attempting a pull that found the fielder in the covers. But by then, India A were already in touching distance of history. His 100-plus knock comes a day after the Indian selection panel showed faith in him by including him in India’s Test squad to face the West Indies.
Dhruv Jurel plays captain’s knock
Once Sudharsan departed, skipper Dhruv Jurel walked in and made sure the momentum didn’t slip. He counter-attacked, pulling and sweeping the new ball bowlers with authority. Alongside Rahul, he added crucial runs before falling to a mistimed slog. But the job was nearly done by then. Jurel played a blinder as he hammered a fifty in no time.
It was left to young Nitish Kumar Reddy to strike the final blows, driving back-to-back boundaries through the covers to spark celebrations in the dressing room. India A had not only completed the chase with five wickets to spare but had also etched their names into the record books, only the sixth time in history that a team has chased 400+ in a first-class game in India.
