Chance for India’s emerging talent to enhance credentials

India’s emerging First Class talent will strive to burnish its credentials even further as India-A hosts Australia-A in the first unofficial Test match at the Siachem Cricket Stadium here, starting on Tuesday.

Devdutt Padikkal lived up to his billing with two hundreds in Sri Lanka last month and will lead the side, hoping to add to his growing reputation. B. Sai Sudharsan, who is returning after a foot injury, and Anshul Kamboj are the only other capped players in the squad.

The selectors have rewarded young batters Aman Mokhade, Ayush Pandey, Kumar Kushagra, and Shaik Rasheed for their domestic hauls. But India-A’s only spin options, Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian, are also all-rounders, and will probably squeeze out one outright batter at the top.