Kushagra's century and Mulani's seven set up India A's 162-run win over Australia A

India A lead the two-match series 1-0 after bowling Australia A out for 200 on the fourth afternoon in Puducherry

Australia A's first serious examination of Indian conditions before next year's Border-Gavaskar Trophy ended in a 162-run defeat on Friday, India A closing out the first unofficial Test in the second session of day four at the Cricket Association Pondicherry Siechem Ground.

Set 363 to win, the tourists were dismissed for 200 in 55.1 overs, having already been bowled out for 171 in reply to India A's first-innings 334.

Wicketkeeper Kumar Kushagra was named player of the match for scores of 113 and 46 not out, the only hundred of the game, while left-arm spinner Shams Mulani finished with match figures of 7-124.

Kushagra holds the first innings together

Devdutt Padikkal won the toss and batted, and India A reached 257 for 5 by the end of the opening day, Kushagra's century the backbone of the innings.

The last five wickets added only 77 on the second morning, and India A were all out for 334 in 117.3 overs.

Half-centuries from Tanush Kotian and Sai Sudharsan gave the innings its middle, while off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli took four for 95 and Todd Murphy three for 77.

Mulani reads the surface first

Australia A lasted 55.3 overs in reply, fewer than half the time India A had spent at the crease, and folded for 171.

Mulani did most of the damage with 4-46 on a pitch that gave the spinners grip from the opening day.

It was a pattern the tourists never broke: no Australia A batter passed fifty in either innings of the match.

India A batted again 163 in front, with two full days still in hand.

A target of 363

The second innings was the tightest cricket of the four days. India A were held to 199 in 57.4 overs, Murphy taking four wickets as the surface deteriorated.

Padikkal made 59 from 88 balls to give the innings its shape, the one substantial passage of batting on either side after the first day.

Kushagra's unbeaten 46 from the lower order pushed the lead to 362, and Australia A were left needing the highest total of the match on the worst pitch of it.

Deshpande turns the fourth day

Australia A lost five wickets in the first session on Friday, Tushar Deshpande removing the top order with reverse swing in a spell that included a double-wicket maiden and finished at 3-14.

Mulani took three more after lunch to complete his seven-wicket match.

The only sustained resistance came from a 67-run eighth-wicket stand between Fergus O'Neill and Murphy, O'Neill's 47 the highest score of the innings.

The last two wickets fell shortly after the partnership was broken, ending the match a day inside its allotted time.

What it means before January

Australia tour India for five Tests from 21 January 2027, beginning in Nagpur, and this squad was assembled to give the contenders for that trip a look at the conditions a year out.

Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney and Peter Handscomb are all on the tour, and the first match gave none of them the score that would settle an argument at home.

It is part of a three-team Australian programme in India: the Australia A women's side has just finished the one-day leg of its own series, and the Under-19s begin a youth Test in Rajkot on Sunday.

The second unofficial Test starts at the same ground on 29 September, followed by three one-day matches on 6, 9 and 11 October, with Ruturaj Gaikwad leading India A in that format.

Scorecard: India A 334 and 199; Australia A 171 and 200. India A won by 162 runs.

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