Jurel's unbeaten 141 puts India A in command against Sri Lanka A despite Nuwanidu's fighting fifty
Galle, June 26
India A tightened their grip on the opening unofficial Test against Sri Lanka A after declaring on a commanding 452 for 6 before reducing the hosts to 113 for 2 at stumps on Day 2 in Galle.
After resuming the morning in a strong position, India A were powered by an unbeaten 141 from wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, whose composed innings ensured the visitors crossed the 450-run mark before opting to declare.
Sri Lanka A, in reply, slipped to 38 for 2 before Nuwanidu Fernando's resilient half-century steadied the innings with an unbroken third-wicket stand.
Jurel, who had ended the opening day unbeaten on 68, converted his overnight score into a fine century, striking 13 boundaries and a six in his 141 not out. He lost overnight partner Shaik Rasheed, early in the day after the right-hander added just 10 more runs to his score of 53, eventually departing for 63 after being bowled by Chamika Gunasekara.
Jurel then found valuable support from Harsh Dubey as the pair stitched together an 86-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Dubey contributed a brisk 30 off 51 deliveries before becoming Gunasekara's third wicket of the innings. Gunasekara finished as Sri Lanka A's most successful bowler with figures of 3 for 84, but India A declared shortly afterwards with a formidable first-innings total.
Sri Lanka A's reply began on a shaky note as opener Niroshan Dickwella fell to Anshul Kamboj in the fourth over, while Pawantha Weerasinghe was clean bowled by Yash Thakur to leave the hosts reeling at 38 for 2.
Nuwanidu, however, produced a determined response, remaining unbeaten on 65 from 103 balls with seven boundaries. He was well supported by Ashen Bandara, who batted patiently for an unbeaten 18 off 51 deliveries. The duo added an unbroken 75 runs for the third wicket to prevent further damage before stumps.
Despite the resistance, Sri Lanka A remain under pressure, trailing by 339 runs with eight wickets in hand heading into Day 3, while India A remain firmly in control of the contest.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great to see our wicketkeeper-batters performing so well. Jurel is definitely knocking on the door of the senior team. But credit to Nuwanidu Fernando too – he fought hard for Sri Lanka A. 65 not out from a tough position is no joke.
India A declaring at 452/6 was a smart move. Our bowling attack – Kamboj and Thakur – already made early inroads. This is exactly how you dominate in Test cricket: put runs on the board and let your bowlers attack. Sri Lanka trailing by 339 with 8 wickets left – it's an uphill climb for them.
I'm impressed by Jurel's patience. He didn't get bogged down after Shaik Rasheed's dismissal – that shows maturity beyond his years. However, I hope our spinners get a chance on Day 3 because the Galle pitch usually helps turn. Let's see what happens.
Nuwanidu's 65 was a real captain's knock for Sri Lanka A. He held one end while wickets fell at the other. Ashen Bandara's support was also vital. The match is far from over – if these two can continue tomorrow, Sri Lanka might just save this Test.
Good performance overall, but I wish our bowlers had been more disciplined after the first two wickets. 75 runs for no further wickets in the last session is something we need to work on. Still, 339 runs behind with 8 wickets in hand – India A is definitely in control. Let's see how Day 3 unfolds! 🤞
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