Star CSK player guides hosts to seal series in IND-A vs SA-A 2nd unofficial ODI

After Harshit Rana and Nishant Sindhu crushed the South African batters, the in-form Indian cricketer and star CSK batter comfortably guided India A to chase the paltry 133-run target to secure the series before the last game. 

Nishant Sindhu and Harshit Rana dominated with the ball

South Africa A chose to bat first in the second game of the three-match unofficial ODI series on Sunday (November 16), but the visitors were bundled out for only 132 runs in 30.3 overs. While the left-arm spinner Nishant Sindhu scalped four wickets (4/16), the right-arm fast bowler Harshit Rana shook the top-order batting and claimed three wickets (3/21).

Among the visiting batters, openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius (21) and Rivaldo Moonsamy (33), and the late middle-order batters Dian Forrester (22), Delano Potgieter (23), and Prenelan Subrayen (15) reached double-digit scores. 

See Also: Know updated WTC 2025-27 points table after India’s 30-run defeat against South Africa

CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad totally controlled comfortable chasing

In reply, Indian openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Abhishek Sharma set up a good start with a 53-run partnership for the first wicket. Although Abhishek was dismissed for 32 off 22 balls with six fours, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj continued his strong batting form and had another 82-run partnership with the India A captain Tilak Varma for the unbroken second wicket, as India A chased down the target in just 27.5 overs with the loss of only one wicket. 

Ruturaj, who scored the match-winning century in the last game (117), remained not out for 68 off 83 balls with the help of nine fours. In the meantime, skipper Tilak Varma was unbeaten for 29 off 62 balls with two fours. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad is knocking on ODI door

CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad is once again knocking on the ODI door. In six ODIs, he has scored 115 runs, including one half-century, as his last ODI appearance was in December 2023 during the South Africa tour. Currently, Ruturaj is one of the in-form batters in Indian cricket, who has also started the domestic cricket season impressively. His List A batting average is 56.93, as the right-handed batter has scored 4441 runs in 87 games, including 17 centuries and 17 half-centuries, and his List A batting strike rate is outstanding 101.34.