India A vs Sri Lanka A, Unofficial Test Day 4: Ayush Pandey falls after rough 38, Devdutt Padikkal continues at the crease – The Tech Word News

IND A vs SL A: India A will look to tighten up the 1st unofficial Test against Sri Lanka A when play resumes on Day 4 at the Galle International Stadium. Leading by 170 runs with all 10 second innings wickets intact, the visitors are firmly in control and will look to set a daunting fourth innings target before pushing for victory on the final day. The opening session is expected to be crucial, with India A likely to take an aggressive approach in a bid to extend their lead past the 300-run mark before declaring, giving their bowlers plenty of time to take advantage of the deteriorating Galle surface.

Schedule India A statement
Openers Aayush Pandey (20)* and Devdutt Padikkal (20)* will continue the innings on Day 4. With a substantial first innings advantage already in hand, India A are expected to score at a brisk pace during the morning session and look to extend their lead to around 325-350 runs before declaration. Such a target would leave Sri Lanka A with a daunting chase, while giving the Indian bowling attack plenty of time to force a result.

Sai Sudharsan’s fitness remains under the scanner
India A could be without one of their standout performers if required later in the innings. After scoring a brilliant 132 in the first innings, Sai Sudharsan departed India’s second innings with just four overs to spare. His fitness remains a concern, although the visitors may not need him to bat again if their top-order accelerates as planned.

Auqib Nabi leads the Indian bowling attack
Fast bowler Auqib Nabi emerged as the game-changer on Day 3 with excellent figures of 4/58, sparking a dramatic collapse of the lower order as Sri Lanka A lost their last five wickets in just 30 runs. He will once again spearhead India’s pace attack, while spinners Harsh Dubey and Yash Thakur are expected to play an increasingly prominent role on a surface that should offer more spin and variable bounce as the match progresses.

Sri Lanka A faces a tough test of survival
Batting on the final day will be the priority for the hosts to salvage a draw. Their hopes will rest largely on the first innings of Nuwanida Fernando (84), skipper Sahan Arachchige (72) and Ashen Bandar (70) who will have to put up another resilient batting effort against an Indian attack that has grown in confidence after dominating the latter stages of the third day.