Test hopes for Shreyas Iyer's return in the Windies encounter take a blow; Iyer struggles against Australia A, while Jurel impacts with a century
In the unofficial Test match between India A and Australia A at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, Shreyas Iyer made a much-anticipated return to competitive cricket. Despite a brief stay at the crease, Iyer scored 8 runs before being dismissed LBW by Corey Rocchiccioli in the 62nd over.
This match marked India A's first unofficial Test against Australia A at the Ekana Stadium, and it was a significant event for Iyer, who has yet to make an appearance in Test cricket since his inclusion in the BCCI's central contract.
The umpire for the day was Nitin Menon. Iyer's performance came after a three-month break, with his previous appearance being in the Duleep Trophy this month.
India A's total score was 403 for four, with Dhruv Jurel contributing an impressive unbeaten 113 runs in 132 balls. Jurel's performance may strengthen his claim for Rishabh Pant's spot in the upcoming home Test series against the West Indies, as Pant is currently recovering from a foot injury he sustained during the tour of England earlier this summer.
Devdutt Padikkal scored an unbeaten 86 runs for India A, while B Sai Sudharsan scored 73 runs before being dismissed. Sai Sudharshan's dismissal paved the way for Iyer's entry into the match.
On the Australian side, Josh Philippe scored an unbeaten 123 runs, and Sam Konstas contributed 109 runs. The Australian team declared their innings at 532 for six.
Shreyas Iyer's return to competitive cricket comes after he was dropped from the BCCI's central contract list due to non-compliance with the board's mandate of compulsory domestic cricket participation when not on national team duty. However, Iyer's inclusion in Grade B of the 2024-25 annual central contract earned him a retainer of INR 3 crore.
This unofficial Test match against Australia A provided a valuable opportunity for Iyer to regain his form and potentially secure a spot in the upcoming Test series against the West Indies.
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