Prateek Tanmay
After India A clinched the one-day tri-series with Vaibhav Sooryanshi performing the headline act, attention now shifts to their upcoming four-day fixtures, the first of which begins in Galle on Thursday.
With the senior team set to tour the island in August for a two-match Test series with crucial World Test Championship (WTC) points up for grabs, a few of the Test regulars will get much-needed game time in Lankan conditions, which have tested them aplenty in recent years.
India A, led by Dhruv Jurel, has B Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal and Ruturaj Gaikwad – three batsmen whose performances will be keenly watched by the senior team management. In their last Test series against South Africa at home, which they lost, the performance of the batting unit in spin-friendly conditions caused plenty of concerns for India. The way Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj troubled Indians in the first Test at Kolkata prompted the think tank to explore the possibility of bringing in Gaikwad as a middle-order option for the second game in Guwahati. But the selectors put their foot down, instead playing Nitish Kumar Reddy, whose role came under intense scrutiny.
After that series defeat, India are in a precarious position in the WTC as they need to win at least three of their next four Tests in Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
The Lankans at home are seen as a major hurdle as they have a strong spin attack led by Prabhath Jayasuriya. With Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis part of the ranks, India can’t afford another slip-up in spin-friendly conditions. That’s why the selectors have sent a strong A squad to give the batsmen exposure to conditions in Galle, which will host one of the Tests.
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Although head coach Gautam Gambhir has said they want to give Sai a good run, he remains a batsman under pressure. His batting against spinners came under sharp scrutiny as his habit of playing from the crease put him in trouble. As a stop-gap arrangement, India did try Washington Sundar at No.3, which also allowed them to play another spinner.
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That their No.3 hasn’t cemented the spot means Padikkal is also one of the options being weighed. The left-hander has been in rich form on the domestic circuit, but within the team there are still question marks over his effectiveness in seaming conditions. He is capable of slotting in at No.5, and a couple of big scores on this trip would make him a contender to start in the Test team.
Many contenders
Then there’s Gaikwad. It would be interesting to see where he bats. The selectors have been considering him for a role in the middle order as he has an effective sweep shot in his armoury. Against South Africa, when their spinners operated in tight lines, the Indian batters got stuck with most of them not using the sweep shot. Gaikwad offers variety and is also considered to have good footwork. But he needs runs to push his case.
Similarly, Jurel is fighting for a role as a specialist batsman. In the last two Test series, he played primarily as a batsman and that arrangement could continue in Sri Lanka. Consistency has eluded him in the limited opportunities he has got so far. So for him to remain in reckoning as a specialist batsman, a string of big scores is needed.
Beyond them are Aman Mokhade and Shaik Rasheed, two young batsmen considered of Test potential going forward.
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The inclusion of Chhattisgarh’s Ayush Pandey came out of the blue, but the call that raised eyebrows was the inclusion of Zeeshan Ansari, a leg-spinner from Uttar Pradesh. He hasn’t played a single first-class match since January 2020 and his inclusion over the likes of R Sai Kishore, Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian did come as a surprise. If the idea was to test a leg-spinner, Mayank Markande and Rahul Chahar could have been given a chance.
Having Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar in the squad would have given them a taste of not just Sri Lankan conditions, but also a bowl with the Kookaburra ball. With a different seam to that of the SG which they are familiar with, giving the two left-arm spinners an exposure in Galle would have been ideal preparation for the Test series where one of the two is expected to start.
That said, the trip provides pacer Gurnoor Brar a chance to show his mettle with the red ball. Having made an impression against Afghanistan, he is a fast bowler to watch alongside Auqib Nabi, Anshul Kamboj and Yash Thakur on the tour.
India A squad vs Sri Lanka for two multi-day match:
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Dhruv Jurel (C & WK), Sai Sudharsan, Ayush Pandey, Devdutt Padikkal (VC), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harsh Dubey, Saransh Jain, Gurnoor Brar, Auqib Nabi, Yash Thakur, Anshul Kamboj, N Jagadeesan (WK), Aman Mokhade, Shaik Rasheed, Zeeshan Ansari.
