KL Rahul left early for Australia. He underwent a couple of intense nets sessions in Melbourne. But that probably isn’t enough to survive on the testing Australian tracks. He lasted just four balls in India A’s second four-day clash against Australia A which began on Thursday.
With the MCG track providing fair assistance to the quicks, Rahul (4) managed only a brief stay at the crease before nicking one behind off Scott Boland, the pacer who had said ahead of this game that he would be eyeing the senior India batsman’s wicket.
A hint of away movement was good enough to get the better of Rahul, while the rest of India A top four also lacked application, leaving the visitors reeling at 11/4 in just the third over after they were put in. However, Dhruv Jurel, who accompanied Rahul in arriving in Australia earlier than the other senior India players, cashed in on the opportunity and produced a compact knock of 80 to drag India A’s first-innings total to 161.
At stumps, Australia A were 53/2 in reply with quicks Mukesh Kumar and Khaleel Ahmed striking once each. Mukesh, in particular, made good use of the MCG conditions and was duly rewarded with the wicket of Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney, who is being projected as Australia’s second opener for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
This game is more of a dress rehearsal for Rahul, as also for Abhimanyu Easwaran, as the both of them are in the fray for selection in the Perth Test, which captain Rohit Sharma is set to miss.
They still have one more opportunity — in the second innings — to gain some rhythm. But that’s easier said than done.
Since Rahul has opened in the past in overseas Tests and scored runs too, he may still get the benefit of the doubt and be slotted in as an opener for the first Test beginning on November 22. As for Easwaran, given how clueless he looked against the short ball from Michael Neser on Thursday, it’s a difficult road ahead.
Jurel’s innings, comprising six boundaries and two maximums, is certainly a positive for Team India. Will it be enough to earn him a place in the first XI?
