Dhruv Jurel shines, KL Rahul Fails as India A Flounder Bounce Test Against Australia A

Dhruv Jurel showcased his sound technique and cool temperament while wickets fell like ninepins at or end in ar shoddy batting display by India A on opening day of second ufficial Test against Australia A at iconic MCG on Thursday.

Jurel (80 off 186 balls), who came to bat in third over scored nearly half of India A's paltry first innings total of 161 in 57.1 overs with only or batter to cross 20-run mark was Devdutt Pikkal (26).

Veteran KL Rahul (4), opening batting, done in by a peach of a delivery from Scott Boland (1/51 in 15 overs).

Michael Neser (4/27 in 12.2 overs), one of finest and unluckiest among contemporary Australian pacers, dealt a telling blow in opening over from which India A couldn't recover.

At stumps, Australia A were 53 for 2 in reply with Mukesh Kumar again looking best among Indian bowlers.

What stood out during day was Jurel's composure and ability to play late, using soft hands.

When re was extra bounce, he would quickly loosen his bottom hand grip to ensure that ball didn't go to slip or gully region.

He judged length perfectly and flicked six off Boland was a treat to watch.

While Rishabh Pant is first-choice wicketkeeper batter, Jurel's ability to leave deliveries on length should put him in a better position than Sarfaraz Khan in middle-order batter role.

It was also day when one got an indication that India senior team might bank on Rahul's experience of opening innings if Rohit Sharma skips a match.

However, Boland got him with a perfectly pitched up delivery that straightened to take his outside edge.

But Rahul would be any day better than Abhimanyu Easwaran (0) who is increasingly looking out of sorts at this level.

This was after Neser bowled a hostile opening over with Easwaran left in a complete tangle to a well-disguised short ball that ballooned to gully.

In-form Sai Sudharsan (0) n got a Neser delivery that was aimed at his midriff and he tried to fend it, resulting in a regulation catch in slips.

Skipper Ruturaj Gaikw 's suspect technique got exposed when he jabbed with hard hands at a delivery that bounced a t extra from length to be caught at slips.

Nitish Reddy (16) played most indiscreet shot as he tried to dance down track to counter steep bounce, getting ousted by Beau Webster.