IND A vs SA A: Subrayen's fifer folds India to paltry 234 despite CSK star's gritty 65 as South Africa tighten grip in 1st unofficial Test

The second day of the four-day match between India A and South Africa A saw the visitors take an edge in the match, primarily due to the hosts' batting struggles. After bowling out South Africa A for 309, adding 10 runs to their overnight score of 299/9—India A's response was underwhelming. They were bowled out for 234, conceding a 75-run deficit. India A's collapse was a result of their own errors and the consistent, penetrating off-spin bowling of Prenelan Subrayen, who finished with superb figures of 5 wickets for 61 runs. The only bright spot in the batting line-up was teenager Ayush Mhatre, who showed genuine resilience with an aggressive knock of 65 runs off just 76 balls.

Subrayen spins web around India A batters with sizzling fifer

A key subplot of the day was the return of Rishabh Pant to competitive cricket after a three-month absence. Pant's brief 29-minute stay at the crease, which yielded 17 runs, perfectly summarized his current form: it featured two characteristic, cavalier shimmies, two well-timed fours, and a clear lapse in shot selection. His innings began with a nervous, wild swing against pacer Tshepo Moraki that missed entirely, but he quickly found his groove, hitting a four over mid-on off Subrayen just two balls later. While Pant performed excellently behind the stumps, his batting struggle was noticeable.

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By the close of play, South Africa A had extended their already significant advantage. In their second innings, the tourists reached 30 without loss at stumps, pushing their overall lead to 105 runs. Openers Jordan Hermann (12) and Lesego Senokwane (9) were at the crease, reinforcing the Proteas' clear dominance heading into the third day.

Rishabh Pant's brief innings concluded with a moment of indecision that proved costly. After momentarily settling in by expertly pulling Moraki behind square for another boundary, he was dismissed when he lobbed a delivery straight to Zubayr Hamza at gully. This dismissal was unfortunately characteristic of the overall lacklustre performance by the Indian batsmen. The troubles began with opener Sai Sudharsan, who came in for the injured Narayan Jagadeesan. Sudharsan's 94-ball 38 was marked by consistent struggles with timing and several narrow escapes, including an almost run-out. His stay was eventually ended by Moraki, who found the edge with an outgoing delivery, which was cleanly taken by wicketkeeper Rivaldo Moonsamy.

Ayush Mhatre only positive in India A's batting

Despite his edgy performance, Sudharsan did manage to anchor the team's highest partnership of the innings, adding 90 runs for the first wicket alongside Ayush Mhatre. However, the middle order quickly crumbled to the off-spin of Prenelan Subrayen. Devdutt Padikkal played a tame shot off Subrayen straight to Okuhle Cele at short midwicket, and Rajat Patidar soon followed, attempting an expansive, poorly executed drive that resulted in his dismissal by the same bowler.

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Teenager Ayush Mhatre was the clear exception to the day's batting woes, showcasing impressive confidence and class throughout his half-century. His strong technical base was evident in shots like the majestic straight drive off Cele and a well-executed cover drive against Subrayen. Mhatre's brilliance ensured India reached a promising 71 without loss by lunch, but this hard work was undone in the chaotic second session. During this period, India A dramatically lost five wickets for just 92 runs, leaving them vulnerable at 163 for five at tea. Mhatre was also dismissed in this collapse, becoming another victim of Subrayen.

Prenelan Subrayen was the standout performer with the ball, bowling an incredible 22 unchanged overs across three sessions to complete a commendable five-wicket haul. Subrayen, who had been part of South Africa's senior team recently, expertly utilized the slight turn and variable bounce the pitch offered. While the Indian batsmen's inconsistency certainly helped his cause, Subrayen's skill in finding the right lengths was key. Ayush Badoni played a brisk counter-attacking innings of 38 off 47 balls towards the end, successfully reducing India A's deficit to under 100 runs before he, too, was dismissed while attempting to accelerate the scoring.