Saurabh Kumar grabs six as India ‘A’ crushes Bangladesh ‘A’ with one innings and 123 carries | Cricket News – Times of India

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SYLHET: Orthodox left arm spinner Saurab Kumar ran through Bangladesh’s ‘A’ batting line-up as India ‘A’ won both ‘Test’ series with a comfortable innings and a 123-run victory in the second and final game here on Friday.
With his performance, Saurabh has made a strong claim to replace an injured man Ravindra Jadeja in the Indian Test squad for the upcoming series against Bangladesh which starts on December 14th.
After conceding a mammoth 310-run lead in the first innings, Bangladesh ‘A’ fared even worse in its second innings, being shot out for a paltry 187 in 79.5 overs.
In the first innings Bangladesh was slightly better with 252 points and India responded with a massive 562 riding on skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran’s superb 157.
Saurabh, who also had a five-wicket draw in the second innings of the first ‘Test’, won 6 to 74 in 30 overs to become one of the architects of the series win.
The Uttar Pradesh spinner also finished with a catch of 15 scalps in two games to emerge as the top wicket-taker of the series.
Bangladesh ‘A’, with experienced former skipper Mominul Haque in their ranks, expected to play three sessions and achieve a draw.
However, Mominul (6) was cleverly snapped from behind stumps by goalkeeper Kona Bharat in the fifth over of the morning and there was no turning back for India ‘A’.
opener Shadman Islam (93 not out) fought it out and also had a 54-run-4-wicket stand with Shahadat Hossain (29) but Saurabh broke that stand when Yash Dhull made a catch.
Navdeep Saini (2/54 in 16 overs), given an extended tenure over his potential senior call-up, then picked up two wickets in three deliveries to send half the home side home. He first caught Jaker Ali a leg before and then shitted Yashasvi Jaiswal Mohammed Mithun to reduce Bangladesh’s ‘A’ to 145 for 6.
With no Mohmmed Shami (shoulder injury) in their ranks, senior team management is likely to choose Saini over in-form Bengali speedster Mukesh Kumar in the forthcoming Test series against Bangladesh due to the former’s ability to swing backwards at a fast pace.
Saurabh then quickly polished off the rear to pull off a nice win while Umesh Yadav (2/34 in 15.5) completed the procedure.
Going nearly 32 overs (31.5 overs), Umesh has bowled enough in the game situation to lead the senior team’s attack in the absence of Shami and Jasprit Bumrah. His teammate Cheteshwar Pujara also got a patient fifty and decent game time.
Short Results: Bangladesh A: 252 and 187 in 79.5 overs (Shadman Islam 93 not out, Saurabh Kumar 6/74, Umesh Yadav 2/34, Navdeep Saini 2/54).
India A: 562/9 declared.
India won by innings and 123 carries.

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