India A’s slump in the second unofficial one-day against Australia A was uncharacteristic of a side boasting a confluence of international stars. On Sunday, it would hope that its big names can piece together a collective act to snatch the series decider at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.
Individual brilliance has kept India A in the hunt for three-fourths of the series until now, but having all units click together would be a fitting end before the group disbands for the domestic season.
The most glaring area of concern has been the side’s pace unit. Through the two games, India A’s PowerPlay bowling has been easy to disrupt.
Gurjapneet Singh and Yudhvir Charak conceded 92 runs in the opening 10 overs in the first game. Jake Fraser-McGruk and Mackenzie Harvey ran amok in the second game too, with the pair walloping ahead at eight-runs-per-over during the phase before rain stopped play.
Arshdeep Singh bore this siege and did not help himself by not bowling to the field. The left-arm quick conceded 16 runs in an over to Fraser-McGurk as he sent floaters outside off, perhaps in search of swing, despite placing two catching midwickets.
In the five internationals he has played, Harshit has an economy of 6.86 in the first 10 overs. But, on Friday, he was the only bowler to concede at less than six-an-over courtesy of his back-of-a-length deliveries, which proved hard to hit, thereby offering a lesson to his bowling partner.
The spinners could be excused for their lacklustre show, for they were deployed after the rain break and struggled with a wet ball. Ravi Bishnoi and Nishant Sindhu had guiled their pace and brought down the Australia A chase in the first match. On a rain-free day on Sunday, the pair can effect a similar collapse.
ALSO READ: Rohit Sharma and the quiet grammar of victory
But bowlers only made a fist of it after the batters had gotten India A a big score.
A golden duck would have put out the remaining T20 embers from the Asia Cup for Abhishek Sharma and made him more embracing of the simmering pace of 50-overs cricket.
Abhishek can be particularly lethal if he can see out the opening phase. He strikes at 214 and 176 against leg-spin and left-arm orthodox, respectively, across all formats, and would want the chance to test his bat swing against Tanveer Sangha and Cooper Connolly.
Shreyas Iyer was elevated to vice-captain in India’s ODI side to tour Australia on Saturday, and marking the occasion with a big score would only validate the faith placed in him in this format.
Riyan Parag was stitching a crucial stand with Tilak Varma in the second match until his insistence on playing through midwicket proved fatal. Twice in this series, Riyan has thrown away starts, but can still script a flourishing end with a bit more poise.
Even though it romped to a victory last time, Australia A is far from firing on all cylinders.
Its middle order had crumbled to the asking rate in the first match and was not needed in the second when the top order took matters in its hands. Harry Dixon, Sam Elliot, and Lachlan Hearne are yet to spend sustained time at the crease, and the top-order’s early departure might trouble them.
Australia A pacers Will Sutherland and Jack Edwards had avenged the first game’s plundering by sharing six wickets in the second match. The third match will be played on a fresh wicket, and they would wish for a strip similar to the second game that had aided nip and carry.
Sangha has chipped in with wickets through the middle overs, but his side will enjoy a firmer grip over proceedings if he can mend his economy rate of 7.47.
Published on Oct 04, 2025
