During the 1st unofficial Test between India A and Australia A, wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan stood out with his lively presence on the field. On Day 3, he was constantly communicating with the bowlers, offering valuable insights and strategies to outwit the opposition batsmen. His proactive approach behind the stumps played a crucial role in India A's performance during the match.
Kishan, who is eyeing a comeback in the senior team, was seen assisting left-arm spinner Manav Suthar behind the stumps with his insights when Australia's Marcus Harris was batting in the middle.
The left-arm spinner was getting some assistance from the surface which Harris was trying to negate by stepping out of the crease while Kishan suggested Suthar to stun the batter with a straighter one.
The Indian wicketkeeper was adamant that the straighter delivery would trouble the Aussie batter as the video of the incident grabbed fans' attention on social media.
Eventually, Sutthar got the better of Harris for 36, and Kishan played a big part in it by grabbing a sharp catch behind the stumps. It was the 30th over of the innings, and the Aussie left-hander went on the front foot to defend the ball but only managed to edge it while Kishan made no mistake in grabbing the catch.
Kishan has been going through a tough time in his professional life. He lost his spot in the Indian senior team set-up and has now dropped down in the pecking order after losing the BCCI central contract.
Kishan was omitted from the central contract list for "prioritising" the cash-rich Indian Premier League over domestic cricket but now he made his return to the India A setup.
Kishan was last part of the India squad during the tour of South Africa in 2023, which he had left midway. The batter had reportedly taken a personal break, which did not go down well with the BCCI.
Australia A march towards big winMeanwhile, Australia reached 139 for three at stumps, needing another 86 runs for victory as the Indian bowlers could not get enough wickets to put pressure on the Australians in their second essay.
Skipper Nathan McSweeney and Beau Webster were batting on 47 and 19, respectively, at the close of play.
McSweeney, one of the top contenders to bag the vacant opener's slot in the Australian team for the marquee Test series against India, forged an unbroken partnership of 54 runs for the fourth wicket along with Webster after Australia A slipped to 85 for three.
India were all out for 312 in their second innings, a far better batting display than their forgettable outing on the first day, when they crumbled for 107.
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