In a closely contested match, India A concluded Day 4 with a draw, reaching 426/5, bolstered by KS Bharat's solid century. Earlier in the innings, Sai Sudharsan had contributed a commendable 97 runs. Sarfaraz Khan also added a brisk 50 to the team's tally. By the end of the day, KS Bharat and MJ Suthar were not out, standing at 116 off 165 and 89 off 254, respectively.
Facing a challenging target of 489 runs set by England Lions for victory, India A initially stumbled to 6/2 with the early losses of Abhimanyu Easwaran and Rajat Patidar. However, Sarfaraz Khan’s quick 55 off 67 balls, alongside B Sai Sudharsan's unbeaten 53, spearheaded India’s comeback. Pradosh Ranjan Paul also contributed a rapid 43 runs. At the close of Day 4, India A was positioned at 159/4, requiring another 331 runs to win in the first unofficial Test in Ahmedabad.
England earlier established a formidable target of 489 runs by declaring at 553/8 in their first innings and 163/6 in the second. In contrast, India were dismissed for 227 in their first innings. The standout performance for India came from Rajat Patidar, who scored an impressive 151 off 158 balls in the first innings. For England, Keaton Jennings and captain Josh Bohannon each hit centuries in their first innings, with Jennings notching up 154 runs and Bohannon contributing 125 runs.
Notably, Bharat had an average of just 14.25 in five innings, amassing a total of 57 runs across the first three Test matches in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. With KL Rahul, KS Bharat, and Dhruv Jurel all vying for the wicketkeeper's position in the upcoming India vs England Test in Hyderabad, there's intense competition for this role. This scenario underscores the significance of every chance Bharat has to bat, as each performance is crucial in asserting his place in the team.
Notably, India A and England Lions will lock horns with each other for the second unofficial Test from January 24 to January 27. Meanwhile, the third unofficial Test will be played from January 1-4.
Earlier in the day, India A bolstered its squad by adding Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh for the second and third unofficial Tests against the England Lions. Both players are transitioning from their recent involvement in the T20I series against Afghanistan, bringing fresh energy and form into the longer format of the game.
India A squad for the 2nd Test: Abhimanyu Easwaran (Captain), Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Tilak Varma, Kumar Kushagra, Washington Sundar, Sourabh Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Tushar Deshpande, Vidwath Kaverappa, Upendra Yadav, Akash Deep, Yash Dayal.
India A squad for the 3rd Test: Abhimanyu Easwaran (Captain), Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Kumar Kushagra, Washington Sundar, Shams Mulani, Arshdeep Singh, Tushar Deshpande, Vidwath Kaverappa, Upendra Yadav, Akash Deep, Yash Dayal.
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