India A faced a challenging series against Australia A, falling to a 6-wicket defeat in the second unofficial Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, following a 7-wicket loss in the first match. Several players gearing up for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, including KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Eashwaran, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Prasidh Krishna, featured in these encounters, yet the team struggled overall.

KL Rahul
The seasoned Indian batter, KL Rahul, faced difficulties in both matches. In the second unofficial Test, Rahul opened the innings but was quickly dismissed, scoring just 4 runs from 4 balls after edging to wicketkeeper Jimmy Pierson off Scott Boland. His second attempt at batting was slightly better, surviving 44 deliveries for 10 runs before being bowled out by Corey Rocchiccioli. Rahul’s form has been a concern, and he will be looking to improve ahead of the official series.

Abhimanyu Eashwaran
West Bengal’s Abhimanyu Eashwaran, also in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad, found it tough to make an impact. In the first unofficial Test, he managed only 7 runs off 30 balls before being bowled by Jordan Buckingham. He slightly improved with 12 runs in the second innings, only to be dismissed again by Buckingham. In the second Test, Eashwaran faced early dismissals, scoring zero in the first innings and 17 in the second, falling to Nathan McAndrew.

Dhruv Jurel
Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel emerged as the standout performer, providing a glimmer of hope amid India A’s struggles. Jurel scored half-centuries in both innings of the second Test, showing resilience against the Australian bowling attack. In the first innings, he posted a solid 80, striking 6 fours and 2 sixes, before being bowled out by Nathan McSweeney. His performance was the highlight of India A’s efforts, as he fought hard against the Aussie bowlers.

Prasidh Krishna
Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna delivered a steady performance with the ball. In the first unofficial Test, he picked up 3 wickets for 59 runs with an economy of 3.3 in 18 overs, and added another wicket in the second innings. Krishna enhanced his showing in the second Test with a four-wicket haul in the first innings, bowling 16 overs at an economy of 3.12. He took 2 additional wickets in the second innings, marking him as one of the more consistent players on the tour.

Nitish Kumar Reddy
All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy had a challenging series, beginning with a duck in the first innings of the opening Test, where he was dismissed by Brendon Doggett. With the ball, he picked up one wicket. He scored 17 runs in the second innings but was dismissed by Beau Webster. In the second Test, Nitish managed 16 runs in the first innings and a more resilient 38 in the second, facing 81 balls before falling to Webster again. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t secure any wickets in the second Test.

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