NEW DELHI: India A stamped their authority on the opening day of the first unofficial Test against Sri Lanka A, finishing in a commanding position at 333/4 in Galle on Thursday.Opting to bat first, the visitors were powered by a fluent century from Sai Sudharsan, who crafted a composed 132 off 175 deliveries. The left-hander was in sublime touch from the outset, combining solid defence with elegant stroke play to keep the Sri Lankan bowlers at bay for large parts of the day.Sudharsan found the perfect balance between patience and aggression, punishing anything loose while respecting the conditions on a surface that offered occasional assistance to the bowlers. His 82-run opening stand with Aayush Pandey (25) provided a steady start before India A briefly stumbled with the loss of wickets at the other end.Even after Devdutt Padikkal’s early dismissal and a short period of consolidation, Sudharsan ensured India A remained firmly in control. His 19 boundaries reflected both fluency and authority, as he absorbed pressure and then shifted gears once settled.
Jurel and Rasheed extend dominance
Sudharsan’s dismissal at 217/4 brought no relief for the hosts, as captain Dhruv Jurel and Shaik Rasheed took charge with an unbeaten 116-run partnership for the fifth wicket.Jurel, leading from the front, played a composed knock of 68 not out, rotating the strike intelligently and capitalising on loose deliveries. At the other end, Rasheed complemented him perfectly with a confident unbeaten 53, showing maturity against both pace and spin.The duo ensured India A did not lose momentum in the final session, maintaining a healthy scoring rate of 3.87 runs per over across 86 overs of play.Sri Lanka A’s bowlers toiled hard but found limited success, with left-arm spinner Dilum Sudeera returning figures of 2/98 from a long 29-over spell. However, the lack of consistent breakthroughs allowed India A to keep building partnerships throughout the day.
India A firmly in command
By stumps, the story of the day was India A’s dominance through sustained partnerships and disciplined batting. From Sudharsan’s anchoring effort to the Jurel-Rasheed stand, the visitors controlled proceedings from start to finish.With momentum firmly on their side, India A will look to push on and convert their strong start into a commanding first-innings total in the remaining days of the four-day fixture.
