The India A squad, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, was in high spirits as they embarked on their journey to Australia for a highly anticipated first-class series against Australia A, set to begin on October 31. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had earlier announced a strong 15-member squad, with several notable players included to showcase India’s young and emerging talent.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been in spectacular form in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, will captain the side. His recent performances include an impressive 86 against Jammu & Kashmir and a magnificent 145 against Mumbai, cementing his place as one of the standout batters in domestic cricket.
Alongside Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan has also been named in the squad as one of the wicketkeepers, with Abhishek Porel providing additional support behind the stumps. Ishan Kishan’s selection comes on the back of his tireless efforts in domestic cricket to regain his place in the Indian national team, especially after losing his central contract earlier in the year.
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Kishan recently made a strong case for his inclusion by scoring a brilliant century for Jharkhand against Railways, adding to his growing tally of hundreds in both the Duleep Trophy and the Buchi Babu Memorial tournament. The squad also features Bengal’s star batter, Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has been named vice-captain. Easwaran’s outstanding domestic form, including centuries in four consecutive first-class matches, has made him one of the key players to watch in this series.
India A in emerging aias cup
India A in Australia tour
This is the branch power of india
🔥🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/PCpqoP8vuz— Speed Sports (@speed_sports_IN) October 24, 2024
India A’s bowling attack will be spearheaded by the likes of Navdeep Saini, Yash Dayal, Khaleel Ahmed, and Mukesh Kumar, with young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy also making the squad. This balanced mix of experience and emerging talent gives the team a formidable edge heading into the tour.
Ruturaj Gaikwad shared a sneak peek of the squad’s departure on Instagram, posting a photo of the team onboard their flight to Australia on October 24. Besides the two four-day matches against Australia A in Mackay and Melbourne, the India A squad will also face the Indian senior team, scheduled for an intra-squad game between November 15 and 17, as a warm-up ahead of the much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series, which starts on November 22.
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India A squad for the tour of Australia: Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Abhimanyu Easwaran (VC), Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Devdutt Padikkal, Ricky Bhui, Baba Indrajith, Ishan Kishan (WK), Abishek Porel (WK), Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal, Navdeep Saini, Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian
India A schedule in Australia
- October 31-November 3: 1st four-day match vs Australia A, Mackay
- November 7-10: 2nd four-day match vs Australia A, Melbourne
- November 15-17: Intra-squad game vs India
