KL Rahul's Horror Run Continues As India A Suffer Another Top-order Collapse

KL Rahul 's horror run with bat continued as he got out in a bizarre fashion to leave India A at a shaky 73 for five on second day of second ufficial Test against Australia A here on Friday.

Seeking to open batting for India in case skipper Rohit Sharma skips first Test against Australia in Perth, Rahul endured a disastrous outing in tune-up to Border-Gavaskar Trophy and mand just 14 runs across two innings, having got out for 10 in India A's second innings.

Abhimanyu Easwaran's struggles against moving ball also did t help India A's cause as y led by only 11 runs with half side back in dressing room in ir second innings.

After bowling out India A for 161 on opening day, Australia A mand 223, t a total home team h hoped for, but it still gave m a substantial first-innings le of 62 runs.

Coming out to bat for second time in game, Indian top-order disappointed again as Australian bowlers struck some vital blows to help ir team inch closer to a series sweep.

Australia A won opening match by seven wickets.

Looking completely out of sorts, Rahul was bowled in a bizarre fashion after facing 44 balls at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Rahul misjudged a tossed up delivery and offered shot as ball ricocheted off his ps to hit stumps, leaving batter embarrassed while he walked back to dressing room.

Getting bowled between legs has compounded his woes ahe of blockbuster series.

Abhimanyu, who was picked as a backup opener for upcoming five-match rubber Down Under, also failed to deliver, following his first-innings duck with a 17 from 31 balls.

Indian top-order struggled against quality spin and pace, leaving m at 56/5 early in second innings.

Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel (19 batting) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (9 batting) ensured re was furr setback by negotiating remaining overs before stumps were drawn for day.

Earlier, India A's pace attack, spearheed by Prasidh Krishna's four-wicket burst and Mukesh Kumar's three-wicket haul, dominated Australian batting, dismissing m for 223 in 62.1 overs.

Marcus Harris was standout batter for Australia A, scoring a gritty 74 off 138 balls, while lower-order batter Rocchiccioli provided late fireworks, hitting 35 off 28 balls, including two sixes and three fours.

In response, India A lost openers Abhimanyu and Sai Sudharsan cheaply to disciplined bowling from Nathan McAndrew and Beau Webster.

Abhimanyu's misreing of McAndrew's pace led to his dismissal at gully, ding to team's concerns.

Devdutt Pikkal (1) also fell cheaply, as both Webster (2/14) and McAndrew (2/22) tore through India's batting lineup.

However, Jurel and Reddy n held firm.

Resuming day on 53/2, Harris translated his overnight score of 26 into a well-constructed innings, showing resilience against a sharp Indian pace attack.

Brief Scores: India A 161 and 73/5 in 31 overs (Dhruv Jurel 19 batting; Nathan McAndrew 2/22, Beau Webster 2/14).

Australia A 1st innings: 223 all out in 62.1 (Marcus Harris 74; Prasidh Krishna 4/50, Mukesh Kumar 3/41, Khaleel Ahmed 2/56).