Did Dhruv Jurel's unbeaten 113 lead India ‘A’ to 403/4 against Australia ‘A’ on Day 3?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Dhruv Jurel's outstanding century is a highlight of the match.
- The partnership between Jurel and Padikkal has shown resilience.
- India ‘A’ is in a strong position to challenge for a draw.
- Australia ‘A’ set a challenging first-innings total.
- Continued rain delays have affected the match flow.
Lucknow, Sep 18 (NationPress) Dhruv Jurel achieved a remarkable unbeaten century as India ‘A’ continued to dominate their batting performance on Day 3 of the first unofficial Test versus Australia ‘A’. The hosts concluded the day's play at 403/4 in 102 overs, still trailing by 129 runs behind the visitors’ first innings total, yet in a solid position to steer the match towards a draw.
Following a series of rain delays and a late commencement to the morning session, N. Jagadeesan and Sai Sudharsan resumed from their previous day’s effort, putting together a 49-run partnership before Xavier Bartlett claimed the wicket of Jagadeesan. Sudharsan, representing the Gujarat Titans, reached an impressive half-century in the second session, aided by Devdutt Padikkal.
However, the real setback for India came when skipper Shreyas Iyer had a disappointing outing. Anticipations were high for the Punjab Kings captain, who had recently been overlooked by the national selectors for the Asia Cup, but he fell for just 8 runs off 13 balls, as Corey Rocchiccioli secured his only wicket of the day.
Despite these challenges, Padikkal and wicketkeeper Jurel ensured that the innings stayed on track, forming a significant partnership. Jurel quickly shifted gears and reached a magnificent century in the third session.
The duo combined for a substantial 181-run stand, concluding Day 3 on a high note. Padikkal, currently at 86*, aims to reach the three-figure mark on Day 4, as India ‘A’ continues their innings.
Earlier, on Day 2, Australia ‘A’ declared their innings at 532 runs. Sam Konstas and Josh Philippe each scored centuries, paving the way for the visitors before India ‘A’ took charge with the bat.
Brief scores:
Australia ‘A’ 532/6 decl. in 98 overs (Sam Konstas 109, Josh Philippe 123*, Campbell Kellaway 88, Cooper Connolly 70; Harsh Dubey 3-141, Gurnoor Brar 2-87), lead India ‘A’ 403/4 in 103 overs (Dhruv Jurel 113*, Devdutt Padikkal 86*, Narayan Jagadeesan 64, Sai Sudharsan 73; Xavier Bartlett 1-60, Liam Scott 1-31) .
vi/bsk/