Australia A v India A, 1st Unofficial Test, Day 2 Review: Bowlers help India make a comeback before openers falter

The Day 2 of the ongoing unofficial Test had mixed results for the India A team. After getting bowled out for just 230 in the first innings, the bowlers did a really fantastic job and helped their team stage a comeback by restricting the opposition for just 228. The batsmen, however, continued to disappoint as both the openers lost their wickets quickly just a few overs before the stumps.

The Aussie lost two quick wickets – Cameron Bancroft & Travis Dean – after resuming to bat on the overnight team total of 25/0. The Indian seamers quickly got into the act. Bancroft was trapped leg before by Varun Aaron while Shardul Thakur got Travis Dean caught by skipper Manish Pandey.

But, this couple of wickets did not shift the momentum entirely into India’s favor as Joe Burns and Peter Handscomb combined together to put up a lengthy 118 runs stand for the 3rd wicket. Both struck fabulous half-centuries before a sudden, unexpected downfall was triggered by Hardik Pandya.

In the 42^nd over, the pair was finally broken after Pandya snapped Joe Burns. The medium pacer quickly struck again with the wicket of Marcus Stoinis. The Aussies dived into more troubles after the well set Handscomb, wow a moving close to a century, was run out.

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Off-spinner Jayant Yadav then walked added three quick wickets to India’s kitty and reduced to Australian innings to dust. Their downfall as similar to what India faced yesterday. They went crumbling down from 157/2 to a very disappointing 228 all out. The lower middle orders provided no resistance and Australia lost a golden opportunity gain a big lead.

India, unfortunately, after giving such a good performance with the ball, failed to end the day on a high. Indian openers, – Akhil Herwadkar and Faiz Fazal – who got out after getting starts in the first innings, looked in a bad shape in the second innings. Faiz lost his wicket for a just a single digit score whereas Herwadkar looked good initially before losing his wicket after making 23.

Brief Scores:

1^st Innings

India A: 230 all in 51.3 overs (Manish Pandey 77, Michael Swepson 4/78)

Australia A: 228 all out (Peter Handscomb 87, Varun Aaron 3/44)

2^nd Innings

India A: 44/2 in 12 overs (Akhil Herwadkar 23; Daniel Worrall 1/16)