India A wrapped up a 2-0 victory in the unofficial Test series against England Lions, with Shams Mulani taking five wickets to seal a 134-run victory at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
India’s second-string claimed the advantage in the hotly-contested series with an innings victory in the second Test. They drew the first thanks to a rearguard century from KS Bharat, who earned a recall to the senior side soon after.
England Lions claimed the early initiative in the third four-day game, seeking a series-levelling win. India were bowled out for 192, Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts taking all ten wickets, and by stumps on day one the lead was cut to under three figures, with nine wickets still in hand.
India A then hit back, first through their quicks Akash Deep and Yash Dayal, then via a century from Sai Sudarshan to push their total up past 400. Each of their top seven made it to 20, with Saransh Jain contributing a half-century.
England Lions needed 403 to win and never got particularly close. Opener Alex Lees added a second half-century of the game but none of the other members of the top seven made it to 30. England Lions slipped to 140-7, and while Durham wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson hit 80, putting on a century stand with James Coles (31) Mulani returned to take two quick scalps to add to those of Lees, Dan Mousley, and captain Josh Bohannon.
Robinson was bowled by Jain, India A victorious by 134 runs.
England Lions’ star performers in the series were Keaton Jennings (310 runs at 51.67) and Potts (20 wickets at 16.95). India A chopped and changed more, with several call-ups to the Test side affecting the make-up of their XI. Sai Sudarshan, with 221 runs at 55.25, was their top scorer, with Sarfaraz Khan, who missed the final game, one run behind. Deep (11 wickets at 18.72) was the pick of the bowlers.
