India A vs Australia A, 2nd unofficial Test: Sai Sudharsan plays lone hand as visitors dominate on Day 2

Henry Thornton doesn’t have express pace, but his skiddy round-arm action was more than enough to rattle India A. The seamer emerged as Australia A’s enforcer on Wednesday at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, claiming four wickets and setting up a commanding position for the visitor on day two of the second multi-day match.

After piling up 420 in the first innings, Australia A bowled out the host for just 194, seizing a 226-run lead. Thornton did most of the damage with figures of four for 36, before India A’s bowlers struck back late to leave the tourist 16 for three at Stumps.

Gurnoor Brar struck with his first delivery to remove Sam Konstas at first slip. Mohammed Siraj followed up by squaring Campbell Kellaway to the keeper, and Manav Suthar had Oliver Peake caught at leg slip just before the close of play. The late surge offered India-A some consolation, but the day had already been defined by Thornton’s skiddy menace.

Henry Thornton was the pick of the Australia A bowlers as he took four for 36.
| Photo Credit:
Tanuj Pandey/UPCA

The 28-year-old was introduced in the 10th over of India A’s reply and made an immediate impact. N. Jagadeesan, who had looked fluent with his cover drives during a 45-ball 38, pulled a short ball straight to midwicket. In the next over, Devdutt Padikkal fell to a leading edge, and Dhruv Jurel was hurried into by another skiddy delivery to be adjudged leg before. 

Thornton returned later to pepper Prasidh Krishna with short balls — while he sent one over the midwicket region for a six, the other one struck him on the helmet. After a concussion check, Krishna decided to retire hurt and was replaced by Yash Thakur. Siraj soon gloved another bouncer to the keeper, sealing a four-wicket haul for the pacer.

READ | India A vs Australia A, 2nd unofficial Test Day 1 Report

For India A, Sai Sudharsan’s 75 off 140 balls stood tall amid the wreckage and was duly applauded by the sparse crowd. Coming in after opener KL Rahul had edged behind off Will Sutherland, the Tamil Nadu left-hander showed composure as wickets tumbled around him.

He used the back-foot drive effectively against Todd Murphy, ran hard between the wickets in the sapping heat, and countered the short-ball trap with an upper cut for six. He stitched a 51-run stand with Ayush Badoni, who was eventually stumped off Cooper Connolly. Murphy trapped Sudharsan leg before with one that skidded through to end the lone resistance.

India A’s innings ended tamely soon after, with a mix-up between Brar and Thakur.

Earlier in the morning, Murphy and Thornton had already frustrated the host. Resuming on 350 for nine, the last-wicket pair added 70 in the opening hour. Murphy played an enterprising knock, reaching a 61-ball fifty with crisp drives and inventive upper cuts, before Brar finally had him caught behind for 76. Thornton remained unbeaten on 32, carrying momentum into his incisive bowling spell.

Published on Sep 24, 2025