India A wrapped up a memorable tour of Sri Lanka with a commanding 10-wicket victory in the second unofficial Test, thanks to a match-winning performance from Gurnoor Brar. The left-arm pacer claimed a 10-wicket match haul as India A defeated Sri Lanka A in Galle on Sunday to clinch the two-match series 1-0 after the opening fixture had ended in a draw. Gurnoor Brar emerged as the standout performer in a contest where India dominated with both bat and ball.
Gurnoor Brar breaks Sri Lanka A’s resistance
Beginning the final day with a healthy first-innings lead of 177 runs, India They wasted little time in tightening their grip on the match. After declaring at 543 for 9, the visitors struck immediately, with Gurnoor Brar removing Sohan de Livera and Nuwanidu Fernando in his opening spell.
Auqib Nabi added another early breakthrough as Sri Lanka A slipped to 9 for 3. Ashen Bandara launched an aggressive counterattack, racing to 87, but Gurnoor Brar returned to dismantle the middle order. He dismissed both Ashen and Anjala Bandara before cleaning up the tail to finish with figures of 6 for 68 in the second innings.
His overall match figures of 10 for 145 underlined a superb all-round display that left Sri Lanka A with little chance of mounting a comeback.
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Sai Sudharsan continues his impressive form
Earlier, India A’s batting laid the perfect platform. Sai Sudharsan was once again the chief architect with a brilliant 168 in the first innings, while Devdutt Padikkal narrowly missed out on a century with a composed 94.
Saransh Jain remained unbeaten on 70 before India A declared. Although captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who retired hurt earlier in the innings, did not return to bat, the visitors had already built a decisive advantage.
Sai Sudharsan’s consistency throughout the series proved to be one of India’s biggest positives.
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India A complete a successful Sri Lanka tour
Chasing just 33 runs for victory, India A completed the task comfortably without losing a wicket. Sai Sudharsan remained unbeaten on 25, while Aman Mokhade supported him with an unbeaten 11 as the target was achieved in only 5.2 overs.
The victory capped a highly successful tour for India A, who had already lifted the tri-series title involving Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A before sealing the unofficial Test series.
For India A, the biggest takeaway was undoubtedly Gurnoor Brar. His disciplined spells, ability to strike with the new ball, and ability to finish off the innings made him the undisputed player of the match and one of the brightest performers on the tour.
