India A vs England Lions Day 3: Shardul Ends Haines’ Knock
Shardul Thakurmade a crucial breakthrough after the Tea break, dismissing the well-set Tom Haines for a commanding 171, helping India A regain control in the final session. Haines had frustrated the Indian bowlers by holding one end for a long time. While day one of this unofficial four-day Test warm-up between England Lions and India A belonged to the visitors, day two was dominated by the hosts. Despite still trailing by 320 runs with only two wickets down and centurion Haines at the crease, the Lions remain confident of closing the gap on day three.
India A’s main goal now is to take wickets, which has been challenging throughout the match. Their bowlers have not enjoyed the same success as their batters did on day one. None of the young pace bowlers have yet stepped up to create sustained pressure. Anshul Kamboj impressed with his consistent line and length, but India A will be disappointed with Mukesh Kumar and Harshit Rana, who conceded runs at over five per over.
India A also relied heavily on spin, with Harsh Dubey bowling the most overs on day two. While he did claim a wicket, the Ranji Trophy’s leading wicket-taker struggled to maintain consistent threat. With Max Holden attacking from one end and Haines holding strong at the other, India must find a way to take quick wickets on the morning of day three or risk letting England Lions build a big score.
The positive for India is the chance to attack early in the morning session when the ball moves the most, giving their bowlers the best chance to trouble the batters and apply pressure. If they fail, the match is likely to drift towards a draw with only two days left. From India’s perspective, it will be crucial to get back into bat soon so that Yashasvi Jaiswal can spend more time at the crease, adapt to English conditions, and face bowlers familiar with the environment. Nitish Kumar Reddy, who had a disappointing first innings, will also be hoping to make a stronger impact.