India-A face Australia-A in first unofficial Test at Siachem starting Tuesday
India-A will host Australia-A in the first unofficial Test at the Siachem Cricket Stadium in Puducherry, starting on Tuesday. The fixture is presented as an opportunity for India’s emerging First Class players to enhance their credentials.
Devdutt Padikkal, fresh from two hundreds in Sri Lanka last month, will captain India-A and is “hoping to add to his growing reputation.” B. Sai Sudharsan, who is returning after a foot injury, and Anshul Kamboj are the only other capped players in the squad. Selectors have included young domestic run-scorers Aman Mokhade, Ayush Pandey, Kumar Kushagra and Shaik Rasheed. India-A’s only spin options are Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian, both regarded as all-rounders, and they are expected to squeeze out one outright batter at the top.
Pitch history at the venue favours spinners: in three First Class games there last season spinners took 52 wickets at 23.32 while the quicks managed just 16 wickets at an average of more than 36. That record is cited as a factor in Australia-A naming Todd Murphy and Corey Rocchiccioli in its starting XI for the match.
Australia-A’s side features experienced batters including Peter Handscomb, Nathan McSweeney, Josh Philippe and Sam Konstas. The touring outfits view the series as an audition for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India early next year, according to the match preview.
India-A: Devdutt Padikkal (Capt.), Sai Sudharsan (Vice-capt.), Aman Mokhade, Ayush Pandey, Yash Rathod, Shaik Rasheed, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande, Anshul Kamboj, Praful Hinge, N. Jagadeesan (wk), Nachiket Bhute, and V. Vyshak.
Australia-A: Brendan Doggett, Jack Edwards, Peter Handscomb (Capt.), Sam Harper (wk), Liam Hatcher, Campbell Kellaway, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Josh Philippe (wk), Jhye Richardson, Corey Rocchiccioli, Jason Sangha, and Liam Scott.
Play in the first unofficial Test begins on Tuesday at the Siachem Cricket Stadium in Puducherry, with both sides fielding the squads named above.