Beckenham

India’s intra-squad match called off after Shardul Thakur bludgeons 122 against Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Danijones12 hours ago05 mins

All-rounder Shardul Thakur made a strong case for his inclusion in the playing XI for the first Test against England as he slammed an unbeaten 122 while playing for India A in the intra-squad match against India. His knock came against an attack comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh. Shardul Thakur slammed an unbeaten knock of 122 in the intra-squad match(BCCI Twitter) Earlier, Shardul impressed one and all with the ball in hand as well while bowling for India A as he troubled the likes of KL Rahul, Shubman Gill and Karun Nair. Earlier, Sarfaraz Khan had played a 76-ball knock of 101 runs on Day 2 with the help of 15 fours and two sixes. Shardul was unbeaten at the crease at Stumps on Day 2. He came out to bat on Day 3 and scored his century. The management now has a real headache regarding who to select between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shardul. Shardul was not named in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, while Nitish Kumar Reddy played all five Tests. The latter also scored a century in the Melbourne Test. However, his returns with the ball left much to be desired. Also Read: Sarfaraz Khan blasts 76-ball century in front of Ajit Agarkar with VVS Laxman watching Shardul has a knack for taking wickets against the tide and is rated highly as a man with a golden arm. Whether he gets a go in the playing XI for the Headingley Test remains to be seen. Shardul earned a call-up into the India squad for the series against England on the back of a strong domestic season for Mumbai where he emerged as the stand-out performer in the Ranji Trophy. The all-rounder last played a Test for India in December 2023 against South Africa in Centurion. He has thus far played 11 Tests, scoring 331 runs and taking 31 wickets. Intra-squad match comes to an end The intra-squad match between India and India A was called off by the management midway through Day 3. The game was supposed to last until Monday, June 16. However, the management called the match off after two and a half days. Almost eight sessions were played out. For India, KL Rahul and Shubman Gill impressed with the bat. The duo scored half-centuries to help India post 469 runs on the board. For India A, Sarfaraz was the standout performer, scoring 101 runs off 76 balls. However, he has not been named in the main squad for the series against England. On Day 2, Jasprit Bumrah had gone wicketless while Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna returned with two wickets each. Nitish Kumar Reddy also scalped one. The Indian team will now leave for Headingley on Tuesday, June 17. The first Test will begin on June 20 in Headingley, Leeds.

India’s intra-squad game: Sarfaraz Khan slams century as Jasprit Bumrah goes wicketless in Beckenham | Cricket News

Danijones1 day ago03 mins

Sarfaraz Khan and Ravindra Jadeja during the intra-squad game. (Pic credit: BCCI) NEW DELHI: Sarfaraz Khan continued his strong form in England with a blazing century for India A against the main Indian Test squad on Day 2 of the ongoing intra-squad warm-up game in Beckenham on Saturday. While the 27-year-old dazzled with a 76-ball 101, Jasprit Bumrah endured a quiet outing, finishing wicketless in his seven-over spell.India A ended Day 2 at 299/6 in reply to India’s 459, with Ishan Kishan unbeaten on 45 and Shardul Thakur on 19. The highlight of the day, however, was Sarfaraz’s explosive ton, laced with 15 fours and two sixes. He was eventually retired out to allow others a hit in the middle — a tactical call that didn’t diminish the impact of his knock.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Sarfaraz’s latest hundred adds to his growing reputation in English conditions. He had earlier scored 92 against England Lions in an unofficial Test match, showcasing his talent ahead of India’s five-match Test series against England starting June 20. Poll How impressed are you with Sarfaraz Khan’s performance in the warm-up match? Earlier in the innings, India A lost Ruturaj Gaikwad for a two-ball duck to Mohammed Siraj, caught behind by Rishabh Pant. But Abhimanyu Easwaran (39) and Sai Sudharsan (38) — both part of the upcoming Test squad — provided some stability.Among the Indian bowlers, Siraj (2/86) and Prasidh Krishna (2/41) made notable contributions, while Nitish Kumar Reddy picked up one wicket. However, India’s premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah failed to make an impact, conceding 36 runs in his seven overs without taking a wicket. Arshdeep Singh (0/52 in 12 overs) also went wicketless.India’s batting on Day 1 was anchored by half-centuries from captain Shubman Gill and KL Rahul, who looked fluent in the middle as the team builds towards the England Test challenge.