Gurnoor Brar’s 10-wicket haul powered India A to seal victory over Sri Lanka A

India’s Gurnoor Brar with 10 wcickets to win (Image: cricinfo) Fast bowler Gurnoor Brar strengthened his case for a maiden Test cap with a sensational 10-wicket haul as India A crushed Sri Lanka A by 10 wickets in the second unofficial Test at the Galle International Stadium on Sunday. The emphatic victory gave the Dhruv Jurel-led India A team a 1-0 triumph in the two-match red-ball series after the opening match ended in a draw.

Brar steals the show

Brar was the undisputed star of the match, finishing with remarkable figures of 4/77 in the first innings and 6/68 in the second to take a 10-wicket haul. The Punjab pacer tore through the Sri Lanka A batting line-up on the final day and helped dismiss the hosts for 209 in their second innings.His performance comes at an ideal time, with India set to tour Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series next month. Brar, who impressed on his ODI debut against Afghanistan last month but missed out on his Test debut, has now made a compelling statement with the red ball.

Sudharsan anchors India’s dominance

Earlier in the match, Sai Sudharsan laid the foundation for India’s commanding victory with a magnificent 168, guiding India A to 543/9 declared after Sri Lanka A posted 366 in their first innings.Devdutt Padikkal contributed a fluent 94 while Saransh Jain remained unbeaten on 70 to extend India’s advantage. Jain also impressed with the ball, taking six wickets through the match.Sri Lanka A found little resistance apart from a struggling Ashen Bandar’s 87 as Brar and the Indian bowlers finished the innings quickly.Set a modest target of 33, India A completed the chase without losing a wicket. Sudharsan remained unbeaten on 25 while Aman Mokhade finished on 11 not out to secure victory in just 6.2 overs.

Ideal preparation before tests in Sri Lanka

With the Indian senior team set to begin a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium on August 15, the likes of Sudharsan, Padikkal, Jurel and Brar have gained valuable match practice and further strengthened their selection claims.The second Test of the series will be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground from August 23.