Batters seek quick fixes as India-A and Australia-A begin second 'Test' at Siechem Stadium

India-A and Australia-A meet in the second 'Test' at the Siechem Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, with batters from both sides looking to adjust to the slow conditions.

Three of the four innings in the opening game concluded inside 60 overs, the lone exception being the first essay courtesy of ton-up Kumar Kushagra, who has been in fine form of late. Devdutt Padikkal and B. Sai Sudharsan showed signs of getting their eye in, but the article notes that only by producing longer innings will they fully utilise this 'A' fixture, which is primarily aimed at attuning them for next year's Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Australia-A's batting unit boasted four capped players, yet none of them produced a fifty across the two innings of the first match. Four of the Australia-A top-five – Nathan McSweeney, Peter Handscomb, Jason Sangha, Campbell Kellaway – average over 50 against spin, but none could tame Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian when the ball stayed low.

Todd Murphy and Corey Rocchiccioli were no less than their counterparts with the ball; Murphy recorded match figures of seven for 135 in the first game, and the report adds that he’ll cherish more wickets as keepsakes before he returns to these conditions in January. Spinners shared a majority of the spoils in that match.

Pacers also made an impact, returning with 17 of the 40 wickets and producing deliveries described as unplayable on a surface offering uneven bounce. The combination of low bounce and uneven pace forced batters to seek quick technical fixes ahead of the second 'Test'.

The second 'Test' between India-A and Australia-A begins on Tuesday at the Siechem Cricket Stadium, giving both sides another opportunity to test their batting and bowling against the slow, variable surface.