Tanmay Baloda shines with six wickets as India U-19 restrict Australia in second youth Test

Left-arm spinner Tanmay Baloda took six wickets for 32 runs to bowl out Australia under-19 for 174 on the opening day of the second youth Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Monday. Baloda bowled 25 overs, including 11 maidens, and broke three separate partnerships by the visitors after India won the toss and put them in. India made early breakthroughs when Priyanshu Singh removed Australia captain Matthew Lough for a duck in the second over and Mohit Ulva dismissed Hayden Barbulovic for eight. Baloda then trapped Eli Brain lbw for four and had Neel Patel stumped after Patel made 31 runs. He also had Zed Hollick caught behind to leave Australia struggling at 65 for six. Charlie Henderson and Jacob Pietz mounted a resistance for the seventh wicket by adding 70 runs from 242 deliveries. Henderson top-scored with 37 runs, while Pietz contributed 26 before Baloda bowled him right after tea. Ayaan Akram caught Henderson at first slip off his own bowling, and Baloda wrapped up the tail by dismissing Patrick Sullivan for 20. In reply, India lost both openers and reached 38 for two in 15 overs by stumps, trailing by 136 runs. Lakshya Rajesh Raichandani fell for one run off 22 balls, and Sagar Virk was trapped lbw by leg-spinner Spencer Green for 16 after hitting three fours. Kushagra Ojha was unbeaten on 13 and captain Yashbardhan Chauhan was on seven at the close of play.

Context

Youth Test matches between under-19 national teams offer young players a crucial platform to experience multi-day red-ball cricket in international conditions. India won the opening youth Test of this series by an innings and 148 runs.