Xtra Time Web Desk: India’s four prong pace attack had a terrific outing on Day 1 of the three day practice match with pink ball against Australia A at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday. Mohammed Shami (3/29) and Navdeep Saini (3/19) picked three wickets each while Japsrit Bumrah picked two as Australia A were bundled out for 108 runs. But the highlight of the first day’s play was the maiden first class fifty from Jasprit Bumrah (55* off 57 balls).
It was the effort of Bumrah with the bat that helped India post 194 off 48.3 overs. As many as 20 wickets fell on a curtailed day when almost an hour was lost due to heavy rain.
On a day when the recognised batsmen struggled to put runs on the board, Bumrah, who came into the game with a Test batting average of 2.9, produced a stellar performance with the willow, smashing the ball six times to the fence and twice over it. The 27-year-old, known for his wily bowling, reached his half-century in style, hooking a bouncer by all-rounder Will Sutherland for a huge six over the deep square-leg fence. Bumrah and fellow pacer Mohammed Siraj stitched a valuable 71-run partnership for the 10th wicket before the Indian innings ended with a semblance of respectively. Pleasant surprised with his batting heroics, Bumrah’s teammates got up, clapped and gave him a guard of honour as he walked into the dressing room.
Earlier in the day both Indian openers Prithvi Shaw (40) and Shubman Gill (43) showed enough promise before they perished to some disciplined bowling by the Australian A bowlers.
There was an unfortunate incident towards the end of the Indian innings. All-rounder Green, who had scored a hundred in the first warm-up game, suffered a concussion while bowling after a rasping straight drive from Bumrah struck him on the head. Bowling his second spell of the day, the 21-year-old was unable to react in time when Bumrah’s full-blooded drive slipped through his palms and struck on the right side of the head.
The all-rounder immediately went down and non-striker Mohammed Siraj rushed to check on him. After being examined for a couple of minutes by the medical team, the all-rounder was back on his feet as he walked off the field for further assessment. Batsman Patrick Rowe was named his concussion substitute.
With Inputs from PTI