The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on January 23 added Rinku Singh to India A's squad for the upcoming second unofficial Test against the England Lions. Earlier, the left-handed explosive batter was named in the Indian squad for the 3rd unofficial Test but will now also feature in the second game. The second unofficial test between India A and England Lions will begin on January 24.
India ‘A’ squad for the 2nd multi-day match: 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, Rinku Singh
In an earlier release, the BCCI had added Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh for the second and third unofficial Tests against the England Lions. What is important to note is that Rinku was named in the squad for the 3rd game while Tilak was named in the squad for both matches.
The addition of these two players strengthens the India A lineup. This change is part of a strategic move to enhance the team's batting depth and versatility.
The first unofficial Test saw the England Lions dominate with a strong batting display, declaring at an imposing 553/8. Keaton Jennings' impressive 154 laid a solid foundation for the Lions. In response, India A struggled, with Rajat Patidar's valiant 151 off 158 balls being a standout performance. Despite his efforts, India A faced a substantial deficit, and the England Lions set a challenging target of 490 runs for victory.
In a closely contested match, India A concluded Day 4 with a draw, reaching 426/5, bolstered by KS Bharat's solid century. 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 runs off 165 balls and 89 runs off 254 balls, respectively.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
EXCLUSIVE | WPL 2024 schedule announced, 22 matches to be played across 2 venues; check complete details here
Sports News, January 23: WPL 2024 schedule revealed, Virat Kohli's replacement to be announced soon and more; a look at today's top 10 trending sports stories
