IND A vs AUS A Day 3 Highlights: Dhruv Jurel leads India response with ton, Padikkal, Sudharsan slam 50s

IND A vs AUS A Highlights: Dhruv Jurel led India's fightback with a fighting century in the 1st unofficial Test in Lucknow

India’s batting order showcased their might in a strong response on Day 3 of the 1st unofficial Test between India A and Australia A. Vice-captain Dhruv Jurel smashed a stunning century while Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal got half-centuries as India breached the 400-run mark in Lucknow. Captain Shreyas Iyer missed out on an opportunityto get some runs under his belt, hurting his chances for the IND vs WI Test series.

Australia won the toss and opted to bat first. Sam Konstas and Josh Phillipe scored centuries as the visitors piled on 532/6 in Lucknow. India’s response now reads 403/4 heading into the penultimate day’s play. Here are the IND A vs AUS A Highlights from Day 3:

Dhruv Jurel stakes claim for regular XI spot

Dhruv Jurel’s Test career has been in filling in the absence of Rishabh Pant. Pant races against time to be fit for the IND vs WI series and Jurel took the most of the opportunity in the IND-A game. The 24-year-old stroke a fluent counter attacking century on Day 3 in Lucknow. The vice-captain, Jurel remained unbeaten on 113 of just 132 deliveries with 10 boundaries and 4 sixes to his name. While Pant is certain to return to the XI when fit, Jurel is making the right noises to remain in the side alongside Rishabh as a pure batter.

Shreyas Iyer’s missed opportunity

Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from the England tour raised eyebrows. The 30-year-old however has not done enough since to make a comeback. In the Duleep Trophy, Shreyas returned with scores of 25 and 12. Appointed captain of India A, Shreyas scored just 8 on a flat batting wicket in Lucknow. Among the 6 Indian players to bat, Shreyas was the only to score in single digits.

Sudharsan, Padikkal make a strong case

Sai Sudharsan had a lacklustre debut series but showed signs of return to form. The left-hander struck a fine half-century batting at No.3 in Lucknow. The Tamil Nadu ace stitched vital partnerships with N Jagadeesan and Devdutt Padikkal to keep the scoreboard moving. Padikkal himself made his mark, remaining unbeaten on 86. While the rest of the batting order played attacking strokes, the left-hander held his end with a gritty knock. Sudharsan missed out on a century but Devdutt has a chance to get to three figures on Friday.