The conditions at Eden Gardens next week for the first Test of the series between Indian and South Africa are likely to be far different to those at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence. However, the fixture between India A and South Africa A in Bengaluru has provided the India players set to join the Test squad a good chance to find their rhythm. After two days of action, it is safe to say that it is the seamers who have enjoyed their outing, while B Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal once again struggled on the green top.
Having been dismissed for 255 in the first innings on Day 1, India A hit back strongly on the second day with the seamers on the money from the word go. South Africa A’s innings mirrored that of the hosts, where they were rocked early before their captain Marques Ackerman, walking in at No 5, scored a counter-attacking 134 off 118 deliveries to take his side to 221. They still had plenty of time to take three of India’s top-order batters.
Abhimanyu Easwaran was out for a pair of ducks, trapped in front by seamer Okuhle Cele’s third ball. Sudharsan started with a flurry of boundaries, five of them crisply timed, before being adjudged LBW to a Tiaan van Vuuren delivery that appeared to go down the leg, for 23. That wasn’t the only debatable decision on the day as South Africa’s Temba Bavuma and Ackerman also looked displeased with their caught down the leg-side decisions.
Padikkal, who could have given a tough competition to claim Sudharsan’s spot in the XI in Kolkata, fell for 24 off Cele as India A ended the day at 72/3. KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 26 off 57 with Kuldeep Yadav, sent in as night watchman, giving him company. Dhruv Jurel, who scored a century in the first innings, would get another opportunity to keep his spot in the XI, provided he brings out an innings of note.
While the batting did throw up some headaches, the bowlers stepped up. Akash Deep, who is a skilful operator with the new ball in seaming conditions, proved his worth again by cleaning up Lesego Senokwane for a duck in his first over. Next, it was the turn of Mohammed Siraj to get into the act, who trapped Zubayr Hamza in front and followed it with a celebrappeal. Bavuma, who is playing this game as preparation for the Test series, was given out first ball when the ball appeared to touch his thigh pad and not the bat.
And more than Akash and Siraj, it was Prasidh Krishna, who was dropped from the Test squad, who made the most of the seaming conditions. Having been taken for plenty in the England Tests and in the A series against Australia, here he hit the right line and length, and left batsmen in all sorts of trouble. His late seam movement meant South African batsmen struggled playing the line. He first accounted for opener Jordan Hermann, who was caught by a diving Rahul at the second slip. Two deliveries later, he dismissed Connon Esterhuizen, who shouldered arms to one that nipped back in and hit him on the back leg for LBW.
Those quick wickets meant Ackerman brought his attacking game to the forefront, even taking on Siraj, who leaked 24 runs in an over, including three boundaries and two sixes. That over provided Ackerman the sort of momentum to back his instincts in the company of No 9 Prenalan Subrayen.
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The lone Indian bowler who couldn’t conjure enough magic on the day was Kuldeep Yadav. On a green top, with minimal turn on offer, he stuck to attacking the line of stumps and breached the defence of Van Vuuren. But the likes of Ackerman, well aware that Kuldeep operated in a limit, brought out the sweeps as the spinner’s spell read: 11-1-66-1.
