Galle (Sri Lanka): A fluent century from Sai Sudharsan and unbeaten fifties from skipper Dhruv Jurel and Shaik Rasheed put the India A firmly in control at 333 for four on the opening day of the unofficial Test series against Sri Lanka A here on Thursday.
Electing to bat, India A piled up big score at stumps, with Sudharsan laying the foundation with a classy 132 before skipper Jurel (68 not out) and Rasheed (53 not out) carried the momentum forward with a strong unbeaten partnership in the third and final session of play.
Opening the innings, Sudharsan looked in complete command from the outset, displaying his range of strokes and sound temperament to tackle the Sri Lankan attack. The left-hander mixed caution with aggression, capitalising on loose deliveries while remaining patient on a surface offering some assistance to the bowlers.
His century set the tone for India A’s innings after the visitors lost Aayush Pandey following an 82-run opening partnership, and the Tamil Nadu batter’s effort ensured Sri Lanka A were kept on the back foot for large parts of the day.
Sudharsan’s innings stood out for the ease with which he handled the conditions, as he patiently built his knock before accelerating once settled at the crease. His runs came off 175 balls, with 19 boundaries to boot.
The left-hander’s performance also underlined his growing maturity in red-ball cricket, as he combined solid defence with attacking stroke-play to put the pressure back on the hosts.
His dismissal brought no respite for Sri Lanka A, with Jurel and Rasheed ensuring the scoring rate remained healthy. India scored at 3.87 runs per over, and 86 overs of play was possible on the day.
Jurel, leading the side, took charge with a composed knock, rotating the strike well and punishing the bad balls. Rasheed provided able support at the other end, showing confidence against both pace and spin as the pair extended India A’s advantage in the final session.
Sri Lanka A’s bowlers at times found some assistance from the surface, with left-arm spinner Dilum Sudeera (2/98 in 29 overs) among the successful ones, but India A kept the scoreboard moving through disciplined batting.
All in all, the Sri Lankan bowlers struggled to contain the Indian batters as partnerships kept building, with the visitors dominating proceedings through a combination of disciplined batting and controlled aggression.
With momentum firmly in their favour, India A will aim to convert their commanding start into a big first-innings total.
The four-day fixture is part of India A’s multi-format tour of Sri Lanka and provides an opportunity for several promising players to push their case for selection in the senior men’s team.
