Ayush Mhatre Fights Hard But Rishabh Pant Falls Short As South Africa A Dominate India A

Rishabh Pant’s 29-minute innings included two confident shimmies, two clean boundaries, and one poor shot, summing up his score of 17 in India A’s total of 234 all out against South Africa A on the second day of the four-day match on Friday.

India A bowled out South Africa A for 309 in the first session, adding just 10 runs to their overnight score of 299/9. However, India lost momentum due to their own mistakes and the steady off-spin of Prenelan Subrayen (5/61), ending with a 75-run deficit.

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India A vs South Africa A: First Unofficial Test, Day 2 Highlights

Teenager Ayush Mhatre (65 off 76 balls) was the only India A batter who showed fight on Day 2. In their second innings, South Africa A reached 30 without loss, extending their lead to 105 runs. Jordan Hermann (12) and Lesego Senokwane (9) were unbeaten at stumps, keeping the visitors in control.

Pant’s Return to Competitive Cricket

Rishabh Pant’s return after three months was one of the biggest talking points of the day. While he looked sharp behind the stumps, his batting failed to impress.

He began with a missed swing against pacer Tshepo Moraki but soon struck a boundary over mid-on off Subrayen. Pant also pulled Moraki for another four but soon lost focus and gave an easy catch to Zubayr Hamza at gully after scoring 17 runs.

Sudharsan and Mhatre Stand Out

Sai Sudharsan, opening in place of the injured Narayan Jagadeesan, scored 38 off 94 balls. Though he struggled with timing and survived a few close calls, he supported Mhatre in building a 90-run opening stand, the best partnership for India A.

Sudharsan’s innings ended when Moreki’s delivery caught his edge, and wicketkeeper Rivaldo Moonsamy took the catch.

Overall, India A’s batting looked dull and inconsistent, allowing South Africa A to maintain their advantage at the end of Day 2.