Puducherry, Oct 2 Yash Rathod and Shams Mulani displayed nerves of steel under intense pressure as India A salvaged a dramatic draw against Australia A on day four of the second unofficial Test and sealed a 1-0 series win here on Friday.
Chasing a mammoth fourth-innings target of 365, India A finished at 310/9 in 103 overs, just 55 runs shy of what would have been a record chase. But more importantly, the hosts survived a relentless barrage from Australia A’s seamers to win the series, following their 162-run victory in the first game.
The foundation of the brave second-innings escape was laid by two gritty half-centuries from nightwatchman Tushar Deshpande (52) and Rathod (80), alongside a marathon, match-saving blockathon by player of the series Mulani (26 off 131 balls).
Starting day four under immediate strain, India A received an early boost through Deshpande, who stonewalled the Australia A bowling attack for 180 minutes. The Mumbai pacer struck his second first-class fifty and forged a vital 60-run stand with skipper Devdutt Padikkal (26).
But medium-pacer Liam Scott (5-52) swung the momentum in Australia A’s favour after lunch by producing a devastating spell on a wearing pitch that offered variable bounce. He removed Padikkal courtesy of a sharp catch grabbed by keeper Josh Philippe, before Liam Hatcher accounted for Deshpande.
When Scott dismissed first-match centurion Kumar Kushagra, and off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli dismissed Kotian, India A were left tottering at 199/7 in 60.2 overs, with just over a session remaining.
It was then that Rathod and Mulani joined forces to pull off a remarkable rear-guard effort, as they consumed 131 deliveries to add 85 crucial runs for the eighth wicket. Just as the match seemed to be heading toward a safe draw, Scott injected late drama into the contest by trapping Rathod lbw. Two overs later, he beat Mulani’s outside edge to trap him lbw and leave India A nine down with three overs to go.
With substitute batter Praful Hinge coming in at number eleven after Anshul Kamboj was called up to India’s squad for the third ODI against the West Indies, tension was at its peak. But Nachiket Bhute (20 not out off 21 balls) stood alongside Hinge (0 not out off 6 balls) and survived the final overs to ensure India A escaped with a draw.
Brief scores:
Australia A 358 & 173/4 decl (Jason Sangha 44 not out, Sam Konstas 40; Tanush Kotian 2-55) drew with India A 167 & 310/9 (Yash Rathod 80, Tushar Deshpande 52; Liam Scott 5-37)