India A vs Australia A: Easwaran, Nitish Reddy, Prasidh to be under close scrutiny
IMAGE: As the players gear up for the challenge, India’s thinktank will be closely monitoring their performance in the demanding Australian conditions. Photograph: Kind Courtesy Nitish Reddy/Instagram
The upcoming four-day match between India A and Australia A, commencing on Thursday in Mackay, Australia, will primarily spotlight the performances of Abhimanyu Easwaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Prasidh Krishna.
All three players have secured spots in India’s squad for the highly anticipated five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series set to commence on November 22. The Indian management will be eager to evaluate how these players adapt and perform in the challenging Australian conditions.
Among them, Abhimanyu Easwaran’s performance carries particular weight, as the 29-year-old opener is viewed as a potential replacement for Rohit Sharma should the captain need to miss one or two matches for personal reasons against Australia.
Easwaran, who serves as the vice-captain of India A, possesses extensive experience, having played 99 First-Class matches where he amassed an impressive total of 7,638 runs, including 27 centuries and 29 fifties.
His inclusion in the squad is backed by his recent form in First-Class matches. He recently showcased his prowess by scoring 157 and 116 for India B in the Duleep Trophy followed by an impressive 191 against Mumbai for Rest of India in the Irani Trophy, culminating in a robust unbeaten 127 against Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy.
With this formidable record, Easwaran enters the match against Australia A brimming with confidence, although he faces the challenge of acclimating to conditions that starkly differ from what he has encountered during the current season in India.
Conversely, Nitish Kumar Reddy’s First-Class numbers are less impressive. He has been selected for his perceived skills as a pace-bowling all-rounder, although his batting has shown to be his stronger suit.
In the Duleep Trophy earlier this year, Nitish had a rocky outing, recording two ducks with a best of 40 runs in five matches, while managing to secure just two wickets.
Despite this, selectors have placed their faith in him over more established names such as Shardul Thakur, who is returning to domestic cricket following an injury. This match serves as a crucial opportunity for Nitish to prove himself against a formidable Australia A side, which features seasoned players like Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris, and Scott Boland.
Prasidh Krishna makes a timely entry into the India A squad, replacing Yash Dayal. As a pacer from Karnataka, he aims to regain his footing after struggling to find his rhythm post-injury, having collected only seven wickets in as many innings across the Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup, and Ranji Trophy.
Selectors have been swayed by his height and its potential benefits on Australian pitches, which could provide him an opportunity to stay prepared for a possible call-up as a third seamer behind Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, particularly if workload management necessitates resting frontline pacers during the tour.
In addition to this trio under scrutiny, other players like skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, top-order batter B Sai Sudharsan, pacers Yash Dayal and Navdeep Saini, and middle-order batter Devdutt Padikkal will be eager to deliver strong performances, enhancing their chances for future selections in the senior team should the need arise.
Ishan Kishan, the wicketkeeper-batter, is keen to seize this opportunity to further solidify his place within the ranks, especially after regaining favor among the selectors.
Teams (from): India A: Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Abhimanyu Easwaran (vice-capt), Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan, B Indrajith, Abishek Porel (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Mukesh Kumar, Ricky Bhui, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Manav Suthar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, Tanush Kotian, Prasidh Krishna.
Australia A: Nathan McSweeney (c), Cameron Bancroft, Scott Boland, Jordan Buckingham, Cooper Connolly, Ollie Davies, Brendan Doggett, Marcus Harris, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Michael Neser, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Jimmy Peirson, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, Beau Webster.
Match starts at 5.30am IST.