Rishabh Pant shows strong comeback; Spinners lead India ‘A’ fightback after South Africa ‘A’ strong start | Cricket News

BENGALURU: A brisk breeze at times, humidity in the air and on the field and a green surface prompted Indian ‘A’ skipper Rishabh Pant to opt to play in their four-day match against South Africa ‘A’ on Thursday, but the obvious did not happen. Rather than the pacers exploiting what appeared to be ideal conditions, it was the spinners who ultimately vindicated Pant’s decision. Barring an early breakthrough from Anshul Kamboj, who had opener Lesego Senokwane (0) caught in the first over by Ayush Mhatre, he and new partner Khaleel Ahmed toiled without reward. Not that they were particularly incisive. Khaleel was temperamental, hitting briefly and helping the batters pick easy boundaries. Ultimately, it was the spinners who turned up the pressure at the BCCI Center of Excellence here, with off-spinner Tanush Kotian ending the day with figures of 4 for 83. The 27-year-old was the key factor in India ‘A”s fightback as the visiting team finished the first day of the first four-day match with 299 runs on the board for the loss of nine wickets. In the morning, it didn’t take long for South Africans Jordhan Hermann (71st) and Zubayr Hamza (66th) to feel comfortable in tough conditions. Early in his innings, Jordan feasted on Khaleel’s short deliveries, finding the middle boundary with ease. Kamboj was much more difficult to deal with and was treated with respect. Gurnoor Brar, the first change bowler, also kept things tight. Spin was introduced in the 14th over with the arrival of Manav Suthar. Jordan and Hamza assessed the situation and then continued undeterred. Hamza handled the rotation well, using his feet well to blunt tight turns. After a few tight overs after lunch, Brar got the much-needed breakthrough when Hamza’s uppercut attempt was caught by Pant. The second wicket partnership between Jordan and Hamza yielded 130 runs. Visiting skipper Ackerman went on rotation, with Kotian bowling over the wicket. The batter came out and deceived Suthar at midfield. Jordan’s brother Rubin Hermann (54) also helped himself to a half-century before the home team’s bowlers accounted for the final session with a couple of quick wickets. Immediately after tea, Suthar struck with Rivaldo Moonswamy, providing an outside edge to Ayush Badoni at first slip. PANT FACTORReturning to action after a three-month injury break, Pant showed no signs of discomfort as he kept wickets throughout the day. Thinner and fitter, he seemed as agile as ever. Elsewhere, Ishan Kishan was called in to cover for N Jagadeesan, who suffered a freak injury the day before the match, when a teammate wearing spikes accidentally stepped on his right hand during practice. Brief scores: South Africa “A”: 299/9 in 85.2 overs (Jordan Hermann 71, Zubayr Hamza 66, Rubin Hermann 54, Tiaan van Subrayen 46; Manav Suthar 2-62, Tanush Kotian 4-83) vs India “A”