Melbourne
India A found themselves in trouble once again at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday, ending day two at 73/5 in their second innings, barely managing an 11-run lead over Australia A. KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran, under scrutiny for consistent runs, failed to impress as India A faces a steep challenge in the ongoing four-day game.
Australia A started the day in control, as opener Marcus Harris hit a solid 74 off 138 balls, showcasing his form with five boundaries. His performance, backed by contributions from Jimmy Peirson (30), Corey Rocchiccioli (35), and Nathan McAndrew (26), allowed Australia A to reach 223, taking a 62-run lead. Harris had a stroke of luck, surviving an edge on 48 that was not called out by the umpire, frustrating India A’s bowlers. Prasidh Krishna and Mukesh Kumar led the Indian bowling effort with figures of 4-50 and 3-41, respectively.
However, India A’s second innings started poorly. After a brief partnership, Easwaran departed at 25, sparking a collapse that saw them slide to 56/5. Rahul had a disappointing dismissal, misjudging a delivery from Rocchiccioli that bowled him off his pad. This poor performance adds pressure on India’s selection for the first Test, especially with Rohit Sharma’s likely absence.
Dhruv Jurel (19) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (9) managed to hang on until stumps, giving India A a slender lead to defend on day three.
