India A fought back in their second unofficial Test match against Australia A despite a low first innings total with the bat at the MCG in Melbourne. India remained in the fight as they dismissed Australia for 223, allowing a lead of 62 but keeping it within control after being dismissed for 161 in the first innings.

The star of the show with ball for India was Prasidh Krishna, who took figures of 4-50 and fell narrowly short of taking a five-fer in the innings. Krishna is one of the bowlers who will be under heavy consideration for a spot in India’s team when the Test series proper begins in Perth on November 22, and will hope that this sort of performance will catch the eye of the selectors and team management.

With Mukesh Kumar and Khaleel Ahmed opening the bowling with the new ball, Krishna was brought in as the first-change bowler in the innings by Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Krishna opened proceedings for himself by dismissing Oliver Davies in his first spell. However, it would be three wickets in quick succession in a three-over period later in the innings that helped the right-arm pace bowler rack up the dismissals in Melbourne.

Has Krishna done enough to play at Optus Stadium?

Prasidh used his height and tall action to generate bounce and skid and saw results as he found the under-edge of Jimmy Peirson’s bat after the batter tried to play a hook shot. A sharp low catch by Dhruv Jurel with the gloves helped Prasidh break the 68-run partnership, before he returned to dismiss the other partner in Marcus Harris as well.

The Harris dismissal was crucial, with the southpaw on 74 when he dangled his bat outside off-stump and feathered a thin edge through to Jurel. The very next ball, Krishna dismissed Scott Boland, as he flashed at one which was slightly wide but not short enough, and was caught sharply by Abhimanyu Easwaran at first slip.

India's three pacers will be competing to be the third member of India's pace attack in the Test series alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, with Mohammed Shami looking unlikely to make a return to international cricket on this tour.

Australia were only leading by 6 when Harris and Boland were dismissed with only one wicket in hand, but some powerful and creative strokeplay by all-rounder Nathan McAndrew and tail-ender Corey Rocchiccioli inflated the lead as India bled some runs late.

Mukesh Kumar took his third wicket of the innings late to wrap up proceedings, but India’s batters will now have a tough task of putting up a good total in threatening conditions at the MCG.

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