Gaikwad, Padikkal, Sudharsan need to raise their games in second ''A'' One Dayer

Puducherry: Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, star players Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan will be expected to raise their games as India A look to restore parity against a rampaging Australia A in the second unofficial One-Day International here on Friday.

In the opener, Australia A bowlers choked the run flow and India A lost by 125 runs with only RCB skipper Rajat Patidar giving a good account of himself amid ruins. Patidar scored 53, while nine of the India A players failed to cross the 20-run mark.

Sudharsan (1), Padikkal (0) and Gaikwad (15) all fell cheaply as India A were never in line to chase a target of 275 which was built on Nathan McSweeney's century and skipper Will Sutherland's 77.


For the India A top-order, not being able to negotiate Mahli Beardman (4 wickets) was worrisome. More so, because India A innings folded in less than 32 overs with none of the batters showing any stomach for resistance.

The likes of Gaikwad, Padikkal and Sudharsan could all be a part of the extended ODI squad for the tour of New Zealand, in case some of the common players between Test and 50-overs teams skip the last two ODIs Down Under.

However, the shining light for India A was Suryansh Shedge, whose four wickets would certainly give the national selectors another seam bowling all-round option in making apart from Nitish Kumar Reddy and Hardik Pandya.

Reddy, who is certain to feature in Test matches in New Zealand, if fit, might have to pull out of the last two games in order to prepare for the red-ball leg, which gives Shedge a very good chance of making it in the ODI squad.