India A recover from 17/2 as Ruturaj Gaikwad anchors innings with 101 off 114; Shedge-Badoni cameo adds crucial late runs in Dambulla tri-series opener

India A captain Tilak Varma won the toss and opted to bat first in the tri-nation series opener against Sri Lanka A at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Tuesday morning. The decision looked shaky early on, but a gritty 150-run partnership between Tilak and vice-captain Ruturaj Gaikwad steadied the innings before late fireworks pushed the total to 277/6 in 50 overs.

Early collapse raises concerns

The Indian innings got off to a promising but fleeting start. Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, making his first appearance since receiving a maiden Team India call-up, showed intent with a couple of early boundaries. But his stay was cut short at 14 when skipper Sahan Arachchige pulled off a diving catch at mid-off.

Prabhsimran Singh followed soon after, surprised by a sharp bouncer from Chamika Karunaratne that thudded off his glove. At 17/2 inside five overs, India A were in trouble.

Recovery act

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Priyansh Arya added 53 runs for the third wicket, but a terrible mix-up led to Arya's run out for 32. The left-hander's bat got obstructed by wicketkeeper Dickwella's boot, and both batters ended up at the same end.

That brought Tilak Varma to the crease, and the pair went into consolidation mode. Gaikwad brought up his fifty off 65 balls with a six, while Tilak anchored patiently at the other end. The 150-run partnership came off 185 balls—slow but desperately needed.

Gaikwad reaches milestone

On what is his 100th List A appearance, Gaikwad brought up his 21st century in the format, reaching three figures in 112 deliveries. He eventually fell for 101, holing out to Avishka Fernando near the ropes while attempting a slog over mid-wicket.

Tilak followed soon after for 60 off 97 balls, bowled by Mohamed Shiraz while trying to play fine.

Death over flourish

With the score at 225/5, India looked set to finish below 260. But Suryansh Shedge and Ayush Badoni had other plans. The pair stitched a quickfire 46-run stand in just 26 balls, with Shedge hitting back-to-back maximums off Karunaratne in the 49th over. Badoni fell lbw in the final over, and Shedge was run out on the last ball, but the damage was done.

Mohamed Shiraz finished with two wickets for Sri Lanka A, while Karunaratne, Garuka Sanketh, and Wanuja Sahan bagged one each.

Bowling under scrutiny

While the batting recovery will please the India A think tank, the bowling unit faces questions. Arshad Khan and Anshul Kamboj, both making their India A outings, received harsh treatment early in the Sri Lankan chase. Kamboj was hit for boundaries in his opening over before pulling things back, but the overall discipline remained patchy.

As Tilak Varma mentioned at the toss, 275 was considered sufficient in these windy Dambulla conditions. The target of 278 now puts the pressure squarely on the bowlers to defend what their batters have built.