India A avoid 3-0 sweep with 49-run win over Australia A in Puducherry
Synopsis
Australia A appeared set for a series whitewash at 177 for 3, only to collapse spectacularly — losing seven wickets for 49 runs — as Gurjapneet Singh, Yash Thakur, and Nishant Sindhu ripped through the lower order. India A's 49-run consolation win in Puducherry ends a series that exposed both the hosts' brittle top order and their genuine bowling depth.
Key Takeaways
India A beat Australia A by 49 runs in the third and final 50-over match at CAP Siechem Ground, Puducherry on 11 October 2026 .
Australia A collapsed from 177 for 3 to 226 all out , losing 7 wickets for just 49 runs .
Gurjapneet Singh led the bowling with 3 for 56 ; Yash Thakur took 2 for 35 and Nishant Sindhu took 2 for 41 .
Suryansh Shedge top-scored with 66 , rescuing India A alongside Vipraj Nigam (40) in an 85-run seventh-wicket stand .
Josh Philippe hit 56 for Australia A, but his dismissal triggered the collapse.
Australia A won the series 2-1 despite losing the final match.
India A salvaged pride in the series with a commanding 49-run victory over Australia A in the third and final 50-over match at the CAP Siechem Ground, Puducherry on Sunday, 11 October 2026, denying the visitors a clean sweep. A disciplined bowling performance, headlined by Gurjapneet Singh's three-wicket haul and key strikes from Yash Thakur and Nishant Sindhu, bundled out Australia A for 226 in 46.2 overs while defending a total of 275. Australia A, however, won the series 2-1.
India A's Batting: Collapse and Recovery
Put in to bat on a slowish surface with variable bounce, India A were rocked by a mid-innings wobble that threatened to undermine their entire innings. Openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh gave the hosts a rousing start with an 83-run partnership, but Prabhsimran's dismissal for 39 in the 11th over triggered a sharp collapse — five wickets fell for just 35 runs, leaving India A teetering at 118 for 5.
Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad attempted to arrest the slide, stroking a measured 33 off 57 balls alongside Suryansh Shedge, before Mitchell Owen removed him to leave the side at 159 for 6. What followed was a match-defining recovery. Shedge and Vipraj Nigam combined for an enterprising 85-run seventh-wicket stand — Shedge finishing with a gritty 66 and Nigam contributing a vital 40 — to lift India A to exactly 275 in 49.3 overs. Ben Dwarshuis and Will Sutherland took 3 wickets each for Australia A.
Australia A's Stunning Collapse
Chasing 276, Australia A began confidently. Josh Philippe anchored an 82-run opening stand with a fluent 56, threatening to set up a chase. Nigam provided the crucial breakthrough by dismissing Philippe, and Liam Scott followed in the very next over as India A tightened their grip. Nathan McSweeney (39) and Lachlan Shaw (31) added a steadying 58-run third-wicket partnership to bring Australia A back into contention at 177 for 3.
However, what happened next was a sensational collapse. Once Shaw fell to Anukul Roy, the remaining seven wickets tumbled for a mere 49 runs. Gurjapneet, Thakur, and Sindhu dismantled the lower order methodically, and a timely run-out of Nikhil Chaudhary sealed the innings, with Australia A all out for 226 in 46.2 overs.
Bowling Figures That Sealed the Match
Left-arm pacer Gurjapneet Singh was the pick of the bowlers, exploiting pace variations to claim 3 for 56 — his variations proving difficult to negotiate on a two-paced track. Right-arm fast bowler Yash Thakur chipped in with an economical 2 for 35, while left-arm spin all-rounder Nishant Sindhu delivered with 2 for 41 in the middle overs, cutting off the flow at a critical juncture.
Series Result and What It Means
The victory, though a consolation, reflects the depth and fight within India A's ranks. Having lost the first two games, the side regrouped to post a competitive total and then executed an incisive bowling plan. Notably, the match gave meaningful game time to a clutch of players on the fringes of India's senior setup. Australia A take the series 2-1, but the final game offered India A's selectors several encouraging signals ahead of the upcoming domestic season.
Point of View
Five wickets falling for 35 runs against Australia A's attack, is a concern that selectors cannot ignore. On the other hand, the seventh-wicket recovery and the clinical dismantling of Australia A's lower order suggest that India's pipeline of pace and spin talent remains healthy. The bigger question is whether the top order — particularly those jostling for senior squad spots — did enough to make a case.
NationPress
11 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the result of the India A vs Australia A third ODI in Puducherry?
India A won the third and final 50-over match against Australia A by 49 runs at CAP Siechem Ground, Puducherry on 11 October 2026. Australia A still won the series 2-1.
Who were the top performers for India A in the third ODI?
Suryansh Shedge top-scored with 66 in a crucial 85-run seventh-wicket stand with Vipraj Nigam (40). With the ball, Gurjapneet Singh took 3 for 56, while Yash Thakur (2 for 35) and Nishant Sindhu (2 for 41) also made key contributions.
How did Australia A collapse in the third ODI chase?
Australia A were well-placed at 177 for 3 while chasing 276, but then suffered a dramatic collapse, losing seven wickets for just 49 runs to be bowled out for 226 in 46.2 overs. The lower order was dismantled by Gurjapneet Singh, Yash Thakur, and Nishant Sindhu.
Who top-scored for Australia A in the third ODI?
Josh Philippe top-scored with 56, anchoring an 82-run opening stand. Nathan McSweeney (39) and Lachlan Shaw (31) also contributed, but their dismissals set off the collapse.
Who won the India A vs Australia A ODI series?
Australia A won the three-match series 2-1. India A's consolation win in the final game at Puducherry prevented a clean sweep but could not alter the overall series outcome.
