- India A secured 10-wicket win, clinching series 1-0.
An incredible individual bowling performance has guided India A to a famous victory on foreign soil. Tall speedster Gurnoor Brar dismantled the Sri Lanka A batting lineup to power India A to a convincing 10-wicket victory in the second unofficial Test at the Galle International Stadium.
With the first four-day match having ended in a draw, this emphatic win sealed the two-game series 1-0 for the visitors, capping off a highly successful tour.
Brar’s 10-Wicket Masterclass
The 6-foot-5-inch fast bowler, who recently made his senior international debut in the ODI series against Afghanistan, proved absolutely lethal with the red ball. After picking up impressive figures of 4/77 in the first innings, Brar went completely unplayable on Day 4.
He ripped through the Sri Lankan batting order in the second innings, claiming a career-best 6/68. His relentless pace and sharp bounce left the hosts completely helpless in their own backyard, bundling them out for just 209 runs.
Sri Lankan Resistance Falls Short
Trailing by 177 runs after the first-innings exchange, Sri Lanka A’s top order collapsed rapidly under intense pressure from Brar and the Indian pace attack. The hosts slumped to a precarious 49/4 within the first 11 overs.
The only significant resistance came from middle-order batter Ashen Bandara. Bandara launched a brilliant counterattack, smashing a brisk 86-ball 87, which included 11 boundaries and two sixes. He stitched together a fighting 70-run partnership with Anjala Bandara to delay the inevitable. However, Brar returned for a dynamic second spell to dismiss both set batsmen, effectively breaking the backbone of the host’s resistance and cleaning up the tail.
The Foundation of India’s Dominance
While Brar stole the show on the final day, India A’s victory was heavily set up by a mountain of runs in their first innings. Replying to Sri Lanka A’s initial score of 366, the Indians declared at a massive 543/9.
The star with the bat was opener Sai Sudharsan, who anchored the innings beautifully with a masterful 168. He found excellent support from Devdutt Padikkal, who was unfortunately dismissed just six runs short of a century at 94. Skipper Dhruv Jurel contributed a steady 53, while Saransh Jain played a crucial lower-order cameo of 70 not out.
A Clinical Finish
The massive first-innings lead meant that after Brar’s second-innings wreckage, India A was set a tiny target of just 33 runs. Openers Sai Sudharsan (25*) and Aman Mokhade (11*) wasted no time, tracking down the total in just 6.2 overs without losing a single wicket.
With India’s senior team scheduled to play a Test series at this exact venue next month, Brar’s stunning performance on a notoriously flat track makes a massive statement to the national selectors.
