The first unofficial Test match between India A and England Lions ended in a draw on the fourth and final day. The match was dominated by the batsmen.
Sports News: The first unofficial Test match between India A and England Lions in Canterbury ended in a draw on the fourth and final day. Although England Lions secured a small first-innings lead of 30 runs, the match was dominated by the batsmen throughout. Karun Nair's double century for India A and four half-centuries in the second innings made the match exciting.
Karun Nair's Double Century
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, India A made a b start. After contributions from the openers, Karun Nair took charge, playing a magnificent innings of 201 runs. Nair's marathon innings tired out the England Lions bowlers. India A scored 557 runs in their first innings, with Nitish Reddy and Abhimanyu Easwaran also making useful contributions.
This double century could be a significant turning point in Karun Nair's career, as he has been out of the Indian Test team for a long time. This innings has put him back in the selectors' sights.
England Lions' Impressive Batting, Securing a Lead
In reply, England Lions also displayed their batting prowess. Three batsmen scored centuries, amassing 587 runs in response to India A's substantial score. Tom Haines played a brilliant innings of 171 runs, while Dan Mousley scored 113 and Max Holden contributed 101 runs. Thanks to these three batsmen, England Lions secured a small first-innings lead of 30 runs.
India A's bowling attack appeared lackluster during this period. Fast bowler Mukesh Kumar took three wickets, while Shardul Thakur claimed two. Anshul Kamboj, Harshit Rana, Harsh Dubey, Karun Nair, and Nitish Reddy each took a wicket, but no bowler could put significant pressure on the English batsmen.
India A Batsmen's Strong Comeback in the Second Innings
When India A batted in their second innings, the team adopted an aggressive approach from the outset. Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Abhimanyu Easwaran, who were dismissed early in the first innings, this time formed a brilliant opening partnership. They added 123 runs for the first wicket. Yashasvi scored 64 runs off 60 balls, including eight fours and two sixes. Easwaran played a controlled innings of 68 runs off 87 balls.
After the dismissal of these two, Dhruv Jurel and Nitish Reddy took charge and denied England Lions any further success. Jurel scored an unbeaten 53 off 53 balls, and Nitish an unbeaten 52 off 47 balls. These two half-centuries helped India A reach 241/2 in their second innings, resulting in a draw.
Only Rehan Ahmed was successful for England Lions in the second innings, claiming the wickets of both Yashasvi and Easwaran. The remaining bowlers failed to make an impact.
