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By Ishaan Kapoor — 2 July 2026 — 3 min read

In the second unofficial Test against India A in Galle, Sri Lanka A captain Sahan Arachchige scored an unbeaten 83 to help his team reach 288 for 5 at stumps on the opening day. Despite efforts from India A bowlers Yash Thakur and Saransh Jain, who each took two wickets, Sri Lanka A maintained control after an initial steady start.

Arachchige remained not out with 83 runs from 148 balls, including nine fours and a six. He formed a crucial 99-run partnership for the fifth wicket with wicketkeeper Anjala Bandara, who contributed 42 runs before being dismissed by off-spinner Jain.

Bowling Efforts from India A

Yash Thakur concluded the day with figures of 2 for 32 from 14 overs. Saransh Jain also picked up 2 wickets, conceding 77 runs from 24 overs. Fast bowler Gurnoor Brar claimed one wicket for 49 runs in 15 overs.

Leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari, playing his first red-ball match in six years, did not take any wickets, giving away 64 runs from his 16 overs. Fast bowler Auqib Nabi finished with figures of 0 for 50 from 15 overs and did not trouble the Sri Lanka A openers with the new ball.

The pitch in Galle was slow, making it challenging for bowlers to take wickets. Sri Lanka A openers Pawantha Weerasinghe (39) and Sohan di Livera (28) established a 53-run partnership for the first wicket.

Thakur secured the first breakthrough for India A when Di Livera edged the ball to Devdutt Padikkal at slip. Weerasinghe batted through most of the morning session before Brar dismissed him just before lunch, with the left-hander edging behind to captain and wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel.

Sri Lanka A’s Resilience

Following the openers, Nuwanidu Fernando (44) and Ashen Bandara (34) added 57 runs for the third wicket, helping Sri Lanka A maintain a strong position. Jain broke this partnership by having Fernando caught by Padikkal.

Thakur then removed Ashen Bandara, who edged the ball behind to Jurel. Despite these wickets, Sahan Arachchige’s unbeaten innings ensured Sri Lanka A ended the day in a solid position.

Ahead of the match, there were expectations of changes in the India A playing eleven. Gurnoor Brar and Manav Suthar were anticipated to be included in the team. Brar, who recently made an impressive debut in an ODI against Afghanistan, was expected to bolster the pace attack. His inclusion could have meant Yash Thakur sitting out, but Thakur played and took two wickets.

Similarly, Manav Suthar, who had a 10-wicket haul in his Test debut against Afghanistan and a successful county stint, was expected to lead the spin attack. His inclusion would likely have seen Harsh Dubey rested. Zeeshan Ansari, another player who did not feature in the first game, was also in contention for a place, potentially at the expense of Saransh Jain, who ultimately played and took two wickets.

The first four-day unofficial Test ended in a draw, with Sai Sudharsan and captain Dhruv Jurel scoring centuries. Auqib Nabi, making his India A debut, took five wickets in that match, including four in the first innings. The team management, led by Hrishikesh Kanitkar, aims to provide opportunities to every squad member during this exposure tour.

Sai Sudharsan’s fitness was a concern leading into the second match, as he retired hurt in the second innings of the first unofficial Test and did not participate further in that match. If he were deemed unfit, Ayush Pandey, who did not score a half-century in either innings of the first match, could have retained his place. Aman Mokhade was another opener waiting for an opportunity to replace Ayush Pandey.

The brief scores for Sri Lanka A’s first innings were 288/5, with Sahan Arachchige batting on 83, Nuwanidu Fernando scoring 44, and Anjala Bandara adding 42 runs.

The wickets for India A were taken by Yash Thakur (2/32), Saransh Jain (2/77), and Gurnoor Brar (1/49).

The second unofficial Test began on Thursday.

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Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com