BCCI has announced India A squads for the Australia A series in Puducherry, with leadership roles for Padikkal and Ruturaj Gaikwad while Hardik Pandya makes his return subject to fitness clearance. 

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the India A squads for the upcoming home series against Australia A, with Devdutt Padikkal named captain of the multi-day side and Sai Sudharsan appointed his deputy. The series will also see all-rounder Hardik Pandya return to competitive cricket after a lengthy injury layoff, subject to fitness clearance. The India A programme is expected to provide valuable match exposure to several players competing for places in the senior national team. The upcoming contest against Australia A will include both multi-day and one-day matches in Puducherry. 

Padikkal's appointment comes at a time when the competition for India's No. 3 batting position has intensified. Along with Padikkal and Sudharsan, several young batters are being closely monitored for their performances in domestic and international pathways.Ruturaj Gaikwad has been named captain of the India A one-day squad, with Padikkal serving as his deputy in the limited-overs format. 

Hardik Pandya's inclusion is one of the biggest talking points of the squad announcement. The all-rounder has been away from competitive action due to injury concerns, and his participation in the series will depend on his fitness status. The series will feature two multi-day matches followed by three one-day games. The multi-day fixtures are scheduled from September 22, while the ODI matches will be played in October in Puducherry. 

Battle for India's No. 3 Spot

The selection highlights the growing competition among India's emerging batters. Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan have both impressed in recent India A assignments and domestic cricket, making their performances against Australia A significant ahead of future international selections.The Australia A series will also offer opportunities to players such as Rajat Patidar and other emerging names looking to strengthen their case for India selection. 

With leadership responsibilities and strong opposition ahead, the India A campaign will serve as an important assessment platform for players aiming to move closer to the senior national setup.

The visitors entered the final day in a commanding position and wasted little time turning their advantage into victory. Brar starred with the ball, claiming six wickets in Sri Lanka A’s second innings to finish with a match haul of 10 wickets, while Sudharsan followed up his first-innings century with an unbeaten knock in the chase.

The result capped a successful tour for India A, which had also won the ODI tri-series involving Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A earlier in the campaign. The first unofficial Test between India A and Sri Lanka A had ended in a draw.

Resuming the fourth day on 541/8, India A added only two runs before declaring their first innings at 543/9. Saransh Jain remained unbeaten on 70, while injured captain Ruturaj Gaikwad did not come out to bat. The declaration gave India A a substantial first-innings lead of 177 runs after Sri Lanka A had posted 366.

With the match slipping away, Sri Lanka A needed a strong response from their top order. Instead, Brar produced a devastating opening spell with the new ball.

The pacer struck twice in the opening exchanges, dismissing Sohan de Livera and Nuwanidu Fernando. Aaqib Nabi then removed Pawantha Weerasinghe as the hosts collapsed to 9/3, handing India A complete control of the contest.

Sri Lanka A found some resistance through Ashen Bandara, who counterattacked after the early setbacks. The right-hander played aggressively, taking on the Indian bowlers and reaching his half-century in just 47 deliveries. During one over from Brar, Bandara struck three consecutive boundaries to keep the scoreboard moving.

Captain Sahan Arachchige also contributed with a useful innings before being dismissed by Yash Thakur. At lunch, Sri Lanka A had recovered to 115/4 and still harboured hopes of extending the contest.

Those hopes faded quickly after the break.

Brar returned to dismantle the middle order, removing both Anjala Bandara and the well-set Ashen Bandara, who top-scored with 87. While Keshara Nuwantha and Dilum Sudheera attempted to rebuild with brief contributions, wickets continued to fall at regular intervals.

Saransh Jain supported the pace attack effectively and chipped in with two wickets, ensuring Sri Lanka A never gained any sustained momentum.

Brar completed the job in emphatic fashion. He dismissed Sudheera and Dulaj Samuditha to wrap up the innings and finish with remarkable figures of 6 wickets in the second innings. Having already taken four wickets in the first innings, the pacer ended the match with 10 wickets for 145 runs.

Sri Lanka A were eventually bowled out for 209, leaving India A with a target of just 33 runs.

The chase proved to be a mere formality.

Sai Sudharsan, who had laid the foundation for India A’s dominance with a superb 168 in the first innings, continued his fine form in the second innings. The left-hander remained unbeaten on 25 from 22 balls and struck the winning boundary to complete the victory.

Aman Mokalde also remained not out after scoring 11 as India A reached the target without losing a wicket in only 6.2 overs.

The match highlighted the depth of India’s emerging talent pool. Sudharsan’s consistency with the bat and Brar’s match-winning spell with the ball were central to the victory, while contributions from Saransh Jain and other squad members underlined the team's balance.

With a drawn first Test and a commanding win in the second, India A finished the series unbeaten and reinforced their strong record in overseas developmental tours.

Sri Lanka A drew first blood in the must-win clash, removing both Indian openers cheaply as India A reached 85/2 in the 15th over of the fourth match of the ongoing one-day tri-series at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Monday.

The 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi fell for 21 off just 13 balls, while Prabhsimran Singh managed only 11 before Sri Lanka A’s pacers and fielders struck early. Captain Tilak Varma and Ruturaj Gaikwad then steadied the innings with a growing partnership as India A looked to rebuild.

Early Promise Fades Quickly

The Indian openers began aggressively. Sooryavanshi, who has been in sublime touch this season after a stellar IPL 2026 campaign, slammed two fours and a six in the second over, racing India A to 17/0. However, the momentum shifted in the fourth over when Sahan Arachchige’s captaincy and a sharp catch by Wanuja Sahan sent the young batter back to the pavilion at 30/1.

Prabhsimran Singh tried to keep the scoring rate up, smashing a boundary soon after, but Mohamed Shiraz claimed his wicket in the seventh over, leaving India A at 39/2. The early breakthroughs handed Sri Lanka A the upper hand in the powerplay.

Middle-Order Stabilises

By the 10th over, India A were 57/2. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tilak Varma then took control, mixing caution with calculated aggression. Gaikwad found the boundary ropes regularly, and the pair crossed the 50-run partnership mark as the scoreboard ticked past 85 by the 15th over, just before the drinks break.

A dropped catch of Gaikwad earlier offered India A some breathing space, exposing occasional sloppiness in the Sri Lankan fielding.

Team Changes and Context

India A made two changes to their playing XI, bringing in Yash Thakur in place of Anshul Kamboj and including Nishant Sindhu. Tilak Varma had earlier indicated that a total around 300 would be defendable on this surface.

The pitch at Rangiri Dambulla has offered assistance to bowlers, with batting expected to become tougher as the innings progresses. Spinners could play a bigger role in the middle overs. Weather concerns lingered too, with a 55% chance of rain, following previous matches decided by the DLS method.

Series Situation

All three teams—India A, Sri Lanka A, and Afghanistan A—are level on two points each after one win and one loss apiece. Sri Lanka A top the table on net run rate, followed by India A. A strong performance today is crucial for India A to stay in contention for the final scheduled on June 21.

Sooryavanshi’s lean patch in this series continues, with this being his third consecutive match without a half-century despite his explosive reputation. Gaikwad, on the other hand, has been the standout for India A, amassing 167 runs including a century. Arshad Khan leads the bowling charts for the side with three wickets.

Sri Lanka A will look to capitalise on their strong start, led by performers like Avishka Fernando with the bat and Chamika Gunasekara with the ball.

As the match progresses into the middle overs, all eyes will be on whether Tilak Varma and Ruturaj Gaikwad can push India A towards a competitive total or if Sri Lanka A’s bowlers can continue to chip away at the batting order on a tricky Dambulla surface.

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.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has taken a rare welfare-focused decision ahead of India’s upcoming overseas assignments, confirming that 15-year-old cricket prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi will be accompanied by his parents during the UK tour. The move comes after the teenager’s selection in the India A setup following a breakthrough IPL season, making him one of the youngest names to be included in a national pathway squad. At the same time, former T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has congratulated Shreyas Iyer on his appointment as India’s new T20I leader, adding a playful remark that he is “watching closely,” which quickly drew attention across cricket circles. The developments highlight both India’s long-term talent planning and a transitional phase in leadership within the T20 setup.

According to officials, the decision to allow parental accompaniment is aimed at ensuring emotional stability and comfort for the young player during extended overseas exposure. The arrangement has been described as a special case considering his age and the demands of international travel. Meanwhile, leadership changes in the T20 squad have added another layer of discussion around India’s future direction in the shortest format.

BCCI Welfare Move

The BCCI’s decision to send Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s parents along on the UK tour has been positioned as a player welfare initiative. Officials reportedly believe that young athletes transitioning into high-performance environments benefit from family support, particularly during long foreign tours.

Board sources indicate that the policy is not a standard practice but has been applied selectively in exceptional cases involving underage or very young players. The aim is to help the teenager adjust to dressing-room pressure and unfamiliar playing conditions without additional emotional strain.

Rapid Rise of Talent

Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s selection follows a standout domestic and IPL season where he emerged as one of the most discussed young batters. Reports highlight that his performances earned him a place in India A, putting him on the radar for future senior team opportunities.

Cricket observers say his aggressive batting style and consistency across formats have made him one of the most closely watched prospects in recent years. His rapid rise has also reignited discussions on age-group transition policies in Indian cricket.

Leadership Transition Update

In a parallel development, Suryakumar Yadav extended his wishes to newly appointed T20I captain Shreyas Iyer following the squad announcement for the Ireland and England series.

In a social media post, Suryakumar congratulated Iyer and expressed confidence in the team’s response to his leadership. However, his light-hearted comment that he is “watching closely” quickly became a talking point among fans, reflecting both camaraderie and competitive spirit within Indian cricket circles.

Team Restructuring Phase

The appointment of Shreyas Iyer as T20I captain marks a significant transition phase for Indian cricket. After leading India through a successful cycle, Suryakumar Yadav has now stepped aside from leadership duties as selectors look to build a long-term roadmap for upcoming global tournaments.

Officials are understood to be focusing on continuity, workload management and grooming a new leadership group ahead of future ICC events and multi-sport competitions.