India Team Warm up Match Day 2 | India’s Simulation match against India A at WACA | IND vs IND A Practice game

Jasprit Bumrah Leads with Authority as WACA Conditions Test India Batters

India’s preparations for the Australia Test series entered Day 2 of their warm-up match simulation at the WACA ground, with the focus shifting to the senior side’s bowlers. Jasprit Bumrah, potentially stepping in as captain for the first Test if Rohit Sharma is unavailable, stood out with his leadership and precise bowling. The conditions remained challenging for batters, as India continued to struggle against the relentless pace and bounce of the senior bowling attack.

Bumrah’s Leadership Takes the Spotlight

Jasprit Bumrah’s role as a leader became a central theme of Day 2. After a fiery opening spell with the new ball, sharing duties with Harshit Rana, Bumrah was seen engaging in an intense conversation with Gautam Gambhir through the lunch break. The star pacer also spent time mentoring Prasidh Krishna, offering strategic advice from the dugout. His active involvement showcased a captaincy readiness that could be crucial for India in the absence of Rohit Sharma.

Batting Struggles Continue

Indian batters faced a tough examination on a lively WACA pitch that continued to offer movement off the seam.

• Abhimanyu Easwaran: Opening the innings with Devdutt Padikkal, Easwaran struggled to adapt to the conditions, falling to a wide delivery after chasing one outside off-stump. His form on this tour has raised concerns about his ability to counter the pace and bounce in Australian conditions.
• Devdutt Padikkal: Padikkal looked more assured than his partner but found it challenging to score freely against the senior bowlers.

The WACA pitch, true to its reputation, tested the batters’ techniques with consistent movement and sharp bounce. Edges to the slip cordon and behind the wicket remained a common sight as the bowlers dominated.

Ruturaj Gaikwad offered a rare moment of aggression on the challenging WACA pitch, dispatching Harshit Rana for a stunning hooked six off a well-directed short ball. Despite this, Rana has been the standout bowler when it comes to exploiting the short-ball tactic, consistently testing the batters with sharp bouncers throughout his spells. His disciplined lines and clever variations have made life difficult for the batters, with Rana already accounting for two dismissals, both nicked behind. His performance highlights his growing potential as a reliable enforcer, particularly on fast, bouncy tracks like those in Australia.

Senior Bowlers Dominate

The senior bowlers continued their impressive run from Day 1, exploiting the conditions to perfection.

Bowling Highlights:

• Jasprit Bumrah: Delivered a menacing opening spell, troubling the openers with pace and accuracy. His leadership and ability to set the tone early have become invaluable for the side.
• Harshit Rana: Supported Bumrah effectively with consistent lines and maintained pressure on the batters.
• Prasidh Krishna: Continued his stellar form from Day 1, extracting bounce and movement to keep the batters guessing.

WACA Pitch Conditions: A Batters’ Nightmare

The WACA surface has lived up to its reputation, with variable bounce and lateral movement making life difficult for batters. While the pitch offers opportunities for stroke play, any lapse in concentration has proven costly, as demonstrated by the number of dismissals to edges outside the off-stump.

As Day 2 comes to a close, the focus remains on fine-tuning India’s lineup and strategies for the first Test against Australia. Bumrah’s leadership and the senior bowlers’ form are encouraging signs, but India’s batters will need to adapt quickly to the challenging conditions to succeed in the series.

The final day of the simulation promises more insights as India’s bowlers and batters continue their preparation on this testing WACA pitch.