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Mukesh displayed his clinicality and composure with a brilliant 18-over spell of 6/46, as Prasidh Krishna’s fiery spell of 3/59 aided in IND-A restricting the hosts to just 197.
Mukesh Kumar’s sizzling six-for left AUS-A biting the dust (X)
Mukesh Kumar rose to the occasion for India A as their saviour, as the Bengal pacer registered a spectacular six-for that helped bundle out Australia A for 197 runs in the first innings, allowing the hosts to only take a 90-run lead over the visitors on Day 2 of the first unofficial Test on Friday.
Mukesh displayed his clinicality and composure with a brilliant 18-over spell of 6/46, completely dismantling the AUS batters. He was assisted by Prasidh Krishna’s fiery spell of 3/59, which saw both pacer ransack the Australian batting ranks.
Having lost the toss on Day 1, India were sent out to bat first, and what would ensue would be nothing short of a catastrophe.
Australia A’s Brendan Doggett would run riot over India A with his magical spell of 6/15 in 11 overs, completely dismantling the batters, and bowling out the Indians for just a meagre 107.
Following a dismal display with the bat, especially from the likes of the top order batters of IND-A on Day 1, the pressure was on the IND-A bowlers to revive their chances of competing in the match, and they sure did the same.
After a shaky start from AUS-A themselves, which saw them end Day 1 on 99/4, skipper Nathan McSweeney and Beau Webster both looked set to take control of the innings.
But alas, Mukesh and his entourage of pacers would not let that happen, as the wickets began to rain in after the dismissal of Webster.
AUS-A struggled to find any stability, as Mukesh ran riot with the ball, ravaging through their lower-middle order to rack up his fifer.
A composed stand from spinner Todd Murphy, who notched 33 runs off 47 balls, proved to be the difference maker for AUS-A which aided them to a disappointing 197 before Mukesh ended the run by getting the edge off Murphy.
The responsibility now falls on the Indian batters, who will be aching to exorcise their demons from the first innings and to fight to get over the hump first and then put up a competitive total for AUS-A.
