India A fought back to take control of the first unofficial Test against Australia A, keeping the hosts to an 88-run lead, and then mounting a strong batting comeback.
Led by Mukesh Kumar's six-wicket haul, India A kept chipping away at Australia A in the first innings: from their overnight score of 99-4, they succumbed to 195 all out. Prasidh Krishna took three of the remaining four, with none of the Australia A batters crossing 40.
In response, India A stuttered at first, losing their openers on 30, but Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal rallied together to push the game away from Australia A, ending the day unbeaten on 96 and 80 respectively, taking their lead to 120.
Fergus O'Neill was the only bowler with a breakthrough for Australia A, with Easwaran running himself out in search of a quick single, but beaten by a direct hit from Jordan Buckingham at mid-wicket. Earlier, he had a lucky escape on two, when he edged behind to the slip cordon, only for a no-ball to be called.
There was a similar blessing for Padikkal, who was caught at short cover on 31, with another no-ball call saving him.
The 23-year-old Sudharsan will resume day three four runs short of another century, having already assembled an impressive CV over the last few months. He scored a double century against Delhi last month, hit a Duleep Trophy ton in September, and also smashed a County Championship century for Surrey before that.
Earlier, India's bowling turnaround was led by their new-ball pair, with all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy also generating movement and getting a breakthrough. Skipper Nathan McSweeney, eyeing a Test spot, top-scored with 39, with No.9 Todd Murphy giving a late push with his 47-ball 33. Mukesh's spell was his ninth five-wicket haul in first-class matches; he is part of the reserves list for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Australia A vs India A: Brief scores on day two
India A 208-2 (Sudharsan 96*, Padikkal 80*, O'Neill 1-33) & 107 v Australia A 195 (McSweeney 39, Mukesh K 6-46)
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