After a rain-hit first day that saw India A close at a shaky 93 for 5, Day 2 at Allan Border Field, Brisbane, showcased a spirited fightback from the visitors. Led by the resilience of Raghvi Bist and the fluency of VJ Joshitha, India A turned their overnight struggle into a commanding total of 299, before their bowlers struck key blows to keep Australia A in check.
Walking in under immense pressure, Raghvi Bist produced the innings of the match so far. She batted with remarkable composure, holding the innings together for over 40 overs and scoring a magnificent 93 off 153 balls with 16 boundaries. Her knock was built on patience, solid defence, and well-timed strokes that gradually wore down the Australian bowlers.
She found able support from skipper Radha Yadav (33 off 69), who played a steady hand before falling to Ella Hayward. Later, Minnu Mani (28 off 89) and Titas Sadhu (23 off 58) added grit in the lower order. The most decisive contribution, however, came from VJ Joshitha, who counterattacked with a fluent 51 off 72 balls at a brisk strike rate of 70.83.
From 93 for 5, India A pushed their way to a strong 299 in 89.1 overs. Among the Australian bowlers, Maitlan Brown (3/65) and Georgia Prestwidge (3/37) were the pick, while Sianna Ginger (1/37), Lilly Mills (1/82), Amy Edgar (1/30) and Ella Hayward (1/38) all claimed one wicket each.
Chasing parity, Australia A’s innings never really settled as India A’s bowlers struck at regular intervals. Rachel Trenaman (21 off 35) looked promising but fell to Titas Sadhu, while Maddy Darke (12 off 22) was dismissed by Radha Yadav. Skipper Tahlia Wilson tried to steady the innings with a composed 49 off 80 balls but her wicket to Saima Thakor at a crucial stage left Australia wobbling.
Anika Learoyd (15 off 32) fell to Yadav while Ella Hayward (0 off 3) fell cheaply, with Thakor striking again to dent the middle order. At 108 for 5, the hosts were in deep trouble before wicketkeeper Nicole Faltum (30* off 46) and Sianna Ginger (24* off 43) fought back with an unbeaten stand. By stumps, Australia A had reached 158 for 5 in 43 overs, still trailing by 141 runs.
For India A, Saima Thakor’s 2 for 21 and Radha Yadav’s 2 for 40 stood out, while Titas Sadhu (1/27) kept the pressure tight.
Day 2 belonged to India A. Raghvi Bist’s determined 93 and Joshitha’s attacking 51 were the cornerstone of a fighting total, while disciplined bowling ensured Australia A finished the day on the back foot at 158 for 5.
With two days scheduled, the match remains delicately poised, but India A clearly holds the advantage heading into Day 3 with a lead of 141 runs.
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