Kushagra and Kotian applied themselves well.
| Photo Credit: CAP
Kumar Kushagra (82 retired hurt, 160b, 10×4) and Tanush Kotian (68 batting, 134b, 4×4, 1×6) braved a rampant spin attack from Australia-A to salvage India-A’s innings on the opening day of the first ‘Test’ at the Siechem Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday.
Their 138-run partnership was an ideal intervention after India-A had slumped to 97 for five, and it ended only because Kushagra retired hurt late in the day. Kotian did not let this disrupt his momentum, taking India-A to 257 for five at stumps.
Both were handed early reprieves. Kushagra was pinned by Brendan Doggett’s in-seamer but a timely DRS saved him and revealed the ball to be going down leg. Kotian should have been snared behind off Todd Murphy had either Josh Philippe or the first slip held the chance.
Kushagra exercised restraint while setting up the recovery partnership and his only flourishing strokes, a drive off Corey Rocchiccioli (three for 72), and a flick and an on-drive off Doggett, came off over-pitched deliveries.
It was only when Kotian slog-swept Rocchiccioli off the first delivery of the third session and followed it up with a cut through covers that India-A really put its foot down. Kushagra lapped up freebies angling down leg from Doggett and Liam Scott and glanced them through fine-leg for boundaries.
But the unwanted hurdle came from the sapping heat of Puducherry, which forced him to take a lengthy treatment for cramps in the 60th over. In the 79th over, he was forced to walk off.
In the first two sessions, Rocchiccioli and Murphy had tied the Indian batters around the off-stump line and used flight to generate extra bounce on the odd ball. It was how Murphy nabbed the in-form Devdutt Padikkal and got him to edge to first slip.
Rocchiccioli used a clever plan with a silly mid-on in place to force Shaik Rasheed into giving a return catch. B. Sai Sudharsan persevered for his 103-ball 57 but was left helpless after a long hop held up off the surface, took his leading edge and went back to Rocchiccioli.
Though Rocchiccioli took great catches on both occasions, he could not hold onto the momentum, which eventually shaped the day.
The scores: India-A 257/5 in 89 overs (B. Sai Sudharsan 57, Kumar Kushagra 82 retd. hurt, Tanush Kotian 68 batting) vs. Australia-A; Toss: India-A.
Published – September 22, 2026 09:48 pm IST
