India A enjoyed another successful day on the first day of their second four-day fixture against South Africa A in Mysuru.
Already leading the series after a convincing victory in the first match in Thiruvanthapuram, India A looked to press home the advantage against a South Africa side that featured at least three players who will hope to be in the line-up for the first test between the senior sides scheduled to start on October 2nd in Visakhapatnam – Vernon Philander, Lungi Ngidi, and Aiden Markram.
Winning the toss and opting to field first, captain Markram was soon regretting his decision. Things started well enough for the visitors as they struck early, although there was disappointment for opener Abhimanyu Easwaran, recent star of the Duleep Trophy, who was hoping to press his credentials for a test call-up. He was lbw to Ngidi in the 4th over for just 5.
However, at the other end, 20 year old Shubman Gill, who has already been selected in the India squad for the forthcoming test series, and who scored 90 in the first match in the series, gave the selectors another nudge with a fine 92, which contained one six and 12 fours. After the dismissal of Eswaran, he lost his second partner, Priyank Panchai, who was caught by Theunis de Bruyn off the medium pace of Wiann Mulder, but he then enjoyed a partnership of 135 for the third wicket with Karun Nair, before the opening batsmen fell to Lutho Sipalma, caught by Senuran Muthusamy.
That brought no respite for the South Africans, however, because Nair then combined with the man captaining India A this week, Wriddhiman Saha in a stand of 67 when was only halted when bad light brought an early end to proceedings at the end of the 74th over, with India A 233 – 3 overnight.
Nair was undefeated on 78, having struck 10 fours, whilst Saha, who has been named back-up wicket-keeper in the Test squad, was 36 not out. Saha is another man hoping for a good match here to underline his credentials, should Risbabh Pant come under pressure for his place during the test series.
It was not a day that the South African bowlers will remember with much fondness. Philander bowled twelve overs without taking a wicket, and whilst Ngidi did claim the victim of Easwaran, his 13 overs were relatively expensive, coming at the cost of 41 runs.
