Puducherry, Sep 24 Skipper Devdutt Padikkal struck a fifty and first-innings centurion Kumar Kushagra remained unbeaten on 46 as India A set Australia A an improbable target of 363 on day three of their opening four-day game here on Thursday.
India A were all out 199 in their second innings despite being 93 for one at one stage. Off-spinner Todd Murphy was the pick of the bowlers for the visitors taking four wickets including Sai Sudharsan’s.
The left-hander is eyeing a reserve opener’s slot in the Indian team after being overtaken by Devdutt Padikkal for the number three spot.
Austrlaia A were 55/2 at the close, needing 308 to win, and requiring to bat out an entire day to save the game.
Opener Sudharsan (39, 85b, 3×4), who scored a fifty in the first innings, and fellow-southpaw Padikkal (59, 88b, 7×4) put on 68 for the second wicket as India A built on a solid first-innings lead of 163.
Sudharsan fell lbw attempting to sweep Murphy just before lunch, the first of four victims for the impressive bespectacled off-spinner, who took three wickets in the first innings.
In-form Padikkal, who recorded his fourth 50-plus score in as many first-class matches, reached his fifty with successive fours off pacer Liam Scott.
The skipper was the fifth wicket to fall, lbw to Scott, as the hosts collapsed, losing their last six wickets for 48 runs.
Brief scores: India A 334 & 199 all out in 57.4 overs (Sai Sudharsan 39, Devdutt Padikkal 59, Kumar Kushagra 46 n.o., Brendan Doggett 2-21, Todd Murphy 4-48, Liam Scott 2-22) v Australia A 171 & 55/2 in 23 overs.
(PTI News)
