Fast bowler Gurnoor Brar bolstered his chances of making his Test debut with a stunning 10-wicket haul as India A beat Sri Lanka A by 10 wickets in the second unofficial Test at the Galle International Stadium on Sunday. The first match ended in a draw, with Dhruv Yurel-led India A winning the two-match red-ball series 1-0.
Bra steals the show
Brar was the undisputed star of the match, finishing with figures of 4/77 in the first innings and 6/68 in the second. The Punjab pacer broke through Sri Lanka A’s batting line-up on the final day, helping the home side dismiss the team for 209 in the second innings.His performance could not have come at a better time with India heading to Sri Lanka next month for a two-match Test series. Having impressed on his ODI debut against Afghanistan last month but missing out on his Test debut, Brar has now made a convincing statement with the red ball.
Sudarsan cements India’s dominance
Earlier in the match, Sai Sudharsan laid the foundation for India’s crushing victory with a magnificent 168, leading India A to declare victory at 543/9 after Sri Lanka A scored 366 in the first innings.Devdutt Padikkal shot a fluent 94 while Saransh Jain smashed an unbeaten 70 to extend India’s advantage. Jain also impressed with the ball, taking six wickets throughout the match.Apart from Ashen Bandara’s 87, Sri Lanka A faced little resistance as Brar and the Indian bowlers quickly ended the innings.India A set a modest target of 33 runs and completed the chase without losing a single wicket. Sudharsan remained unbeaten on 25 runs while Aman Mokhade was not out in 11 runs in just 6.2 overs.
Ideal preparation before exams in Sri Lanka
The Indian senior team is scheduled to play two Test matches against Sri Lanka starting from August 15 at the Galle International Stadium, with players like Sudarsan, Padikkar, Jurel and Brar getting valuable match practice and further strengthening their eligibility for selection.The second Test of the series will be played at the Sinhala Sports Club Stadium from August 23.
