India A registered a commanding 162-run victory over Australia A in the first unofficial Test match held in Puducherry. The win was anchored by a magnificent century from Kumar Kushagra, a solid half-century from captain Devdutt Padikkal, and a lethal bowling performance by left-arm spinner Shams Mulani, who claimed seven wickets. Although half of the visiting side's batters were back in the pavilion by the first session of the fourth day, a stubborn 67-run partnership for the eighth wicket delayed India A's eventual triumph. The second unofficial Test is scheduled to begin on September 29 at the same venue.
Shams Mulani Dominates with the Ball
Mumbai left-arm spinner Shams Mulani delivered a stellar performance, taking a total of 7 wickets while conceding 124 runs in the match. The Australia A team was bowled out for 200 runs in 55.1 overs during their second innings, which was only a slight improvement over their first-innings total of 171. Chasing a mammoth target proved too steep a task for the touring side on the final day.
Early Breakthroughs on Day Four
Australia A resumed their fourth day from their overnight score of 2 wickets for 55 runs. Their chase of 363 runs got off to a disastrous start as medium pacer Anshul Kamboj struck early in the session to dismiss two key batters. Nathan McSweeney and Peter Handscomb both failed to make a significant impact and were dismissed cheaply.
Key Contributions from Indian Batters
Opening batter Sudharsan, who scored a half-century in the first innings, contributed 39 runs off 85 balls, hitting three boundaries. He partnered with captain Devdutt Padikkal for a 68-run stand for the second wicket. Padikkal played a fluent knock of 59 runs from 88 balls, peppering the field with seven fours. At one stage, India A looked very comfortable at 93 for 1 in their second innings before the rest of the batting lineup folded for 199. For Australia A, off-spinner Todd Murphy bowled brilliantly to claim four wickets.
