Star left arm spinner Saurabh Kumar ran riot with his 22nd five-wicket haul in First-Class cricket, putting India A on the brink of a comprehensive win against England Lions on the third day of the second 'unofficial Test' in Ahmedabad on January 26. Despite trailing by 341 runs at the start of their second innings, England Lions showed resilience, ending the day at 304/8. England Lions still face the challenge of scoring another 37 runs to avoid an innings defeat, with just two wickets remaining.
The partnership of Ollie Robinson, unbeaten on 84, and Brydon Carse, who scored 38, was crucial in their 102-run stand for the seventh wicket, ensuring the match continued into the fourth day. At one stage, England was teetering at 156 for six, and a loss on the third day seemed likely, but the Robinson-Carse pair steadied the innings. Nonetheless, an Indian victory on the fourth day seems almost certain unless weather conditions intervene on Saturday.
Saurabh dominated the proceedings on the third day, ending with figures of 5/104 in 29 overs, bringing his career first-class wickets count to nearly 300. With 289 wickets to his name, he is in line to add more on the following day. The diminutive spinner from Uttar Pradesh is one of India's standout players on the fringe, having claimed five-wicket hauls against several 'A' teams, including New Zealand A and Bangladesh A.
Saurabh is not just a skilled spinner but also a capable lower middle-order batsman, boasting two first-class centuries and an average close to 27. However, his career timing has been unfortunate, aligning with the tenures of Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, which has made it challenging for him to secure a regular spot in the squad.
Despite being called up to the senior Indian team on occasion, Saurabh often found himself on the sidelines. He is a traditional left-arm spinner who relishes in giving the ball flight and loop, adept at bamboozling batters in the air.
The 30-year-old spinner first made an impact by dismissing left-handed opener Keaton Jennings, caught by Sarfaraz Khan, and then delivered an arm ball to lbw right-hander Oliver Price. He played a crucial role in breaking the century stand between Carse and Robinson by luring Carse forward for a stumping by Upendra Yadav. Saurabh also received significant support from Bengal's fast bowler Akash Deep, who finished with figures of 3/57 in 18 overs. Deep managed to unsettle rival captain Josh Bohanon, who was looking set at 48, before claiming his wicket.
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