Jurel and Prasidh thump Test door but opener conundrum persists

Five members of India’s Test squad got an early preview of Australian conditions while representing India A against Australia A in two unofficial Tests held in Mackay and Melbourne. KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel only participated in the MCG match, while the other three players had two opportunities to make their case for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series. Here’s a summary of each player’s performance across these matches.

Abhimanyu Easwaran
The 29-year-old struggled through both games, missing a chance to make a strong case for his Test debut in Perth, despite arriving in Australia in excellent form. He scored 7, 12, 0, and 17 across Mackay and Melbourne. A run-out in the second innings at Mackay was unfortunate, but his other dismissals raised concerns for India’s selectors. He was caught behind the wicket three times due to the extra pace and bounce on Australia’s pitches, despite facing medium-paced bowlers. At Mackay, he edged Jordan Buckingham to the keeper, caught out while defending from the crease. In Melbourne, Michael Neser’s rising delivery in the first over caused an edge to the gully, and in the second innings, he was caught in the same area attempting a drive against Nathan McAndrew. These dismissals could impact his chances to replace Rohit Sharma should the captain be unavailable for the Perth Test, especially against the faster, bouncier deliveries of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc.

KL Rahul
Rahul faced a challenging task, arriving without extensive preparation time in Australia. While his scores of 4 and 10 at the MCG might seem underwhelming, he handled himself well on a difficult pitch. In the first innings, he edged a beautiful delivery from Scott Boland, angled into the off stump and seaming away. In the second innings, he fell in an unusual manner to off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli. Misjudging an innocuous delivery as spinning down the leg, Rahul let it go, but it turned just enough to sneak between his legs and knock off the stump. While his short stints showed his class, it’s uncertain whether this performance was enough to make him Rohit’s replacement.

Dhruv Jurel
Jurel stood out as the top batter across both sides in the second unofficial Test, presenting a strong case for selection as a specialist batter if concerns arise about Sarfaraz Khan’s ability to handle Australian conditions. He dominated bowlers like Scott Boland, Michael Neser, and Nathan McAndrew with ease. His first-innings score of 80 was nearly flawless, displaying a range of shots—pulls, cuts, and drives—alongside solid defense and judicious leaves. In the second innings, despite being dropped early, he scored another impressive 68. Jurel’s poise with the bat and tidy work behind the stumps added to his credentials.

Nitish Kumar Reddy
Reddy’s performance with bat and ball was steady but not exceptional. Apart from a notable 38 in Melbourne, his scores of 0, 17, 16, and 38 showed inconsistency. His partnerships with Jurel at the MCG helped India A stabilize after top-order collapses, but he was dismissed three times by medium-pacer Beau Webster, who, while successful, doesn’t possess the threat level of Australia A’s primary quicks. With the ball, Reddy managed just one wicket across 31 overs, dismissing Nathan McSweeney due to a batting error, and his economy rate of four an over in Melbourne highlighted his struggles against Australia A’s seamers.

Prasidh Krishna
Krishna was one of the standout performers for India A, collecting 10 wickets at an impressive average of 17.30, including 4 for 50 in the first innings at the MCG. He troubled Australia A’s Marcus Harris, potentially Australia’s next Test opener, dismissing him three times. While only two of his wickets were recognized specialist batters, Krishna’s control and the bounce he generated suited Australian conditions perfectly. He also contributed a valuable 29 off 43 balls in the second innings at the MCG, giving India A a sliver of hope. His standout performances might have boosted his chances for a place in the Border-Gavaskar series squad.