Pant disappoints with 17 in India A’s 234 as Subrayen's fifer gives South Africa A charge

Bengaluru: Two cavalier shimmies, two well-timed fours and a nothing shot summarised Rishabh Pant’s 29-minute 17, which aptly reflected in India A’s 234 all out against South Africa A on the second day of the four-day match here on Friday.

After bowling out SA ‘A’ for 309, overnight 299/9, in the first session, India succumbed to their own waywardness and the relentlessness of off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen (5/61), to concede an innings lead of 75.

Teenager Ayush Mhatre (65, 76 balls) was the lone India A batter who displayed some resolve on the day.

In their second innings, the tourists were 30 for no loss, extending the lead to 105 runs. Jordan Hermann (12) and Lesego Senokwane (9) were batting at stumps, reinforcing the hold the Proteas had on the opposition on the day.

But as it was expected, Pant's comeback innings offered an interesting sub-text to the day's proceedings.

Pant did an excellent job behind the wicket on his return to competitive cricket after three months but he failed to replicate it in front of the wicket.

The left-hander started the innings with an almighty heave against pacer Tshepo Moraki that connected with thin air rather than the ball, and soon opened the account with a four over mid-on off Subrayen in the sixth ball he faced.

Later, he pulled Moraki behind the square for a four, showing signs of settling in.

But a moment of indecision ended his tenure. Pant caught in two minds whether to or leave the ball, and eventually lobbed the delivery to Zubayr Hamza at gully.

It mirrored the general insipidness of Indian batters on the day, and it began with Sai Sudharsan, who opened in the absence of an injured Narayan Jagadeesan.

The 94-ball 38 was filled with atypical struggle for timing and a couple of close escapes including a run-out.

Moreki ended his labour with an outgoing delivery that took the edge of Sudharsan's bat and wicketkeeper Rivaldo Moonsamy did the rest.

Even though edgy, Sudharsan helped Mhatre to add 90 runs for the first wicket, the biggest in the hosts’ first innings.

Devdutt Padikkal just played a tame chip off Subrayen to Okuhle Cele at short midwicket, and Rajat Patidar played an expansive drive without even reaching the ball to get castled by the off-spinner.

The only exception on view was Mhatre, who looked million-dollar during his half-century.

The Mumbai youngster oozed confidence and class all through his innings, a straight drive off Cele and a cover drive off Subrayen underlined his batting’s strong technical foundations.

Mhatre’s brilliance helped India go for lunch at 71 for no loss, but all the hard work was undone in the second session when they lost five wickets for 92 runs to be placed at 163 for five at tea.

Mhatre himself was one of the batters to depart in that session of madness, falling to the 32-year-old Subrayen, who wheeled away for 22 unchanged overs across three sessions for a creditable fifer.

Subrayen, who played for South Africa’s senior team in the recent first Test against Pakistan before getting dropped from the squad to tour India, used the hint of turn and variable bounce to good effect, and the capriciousness of the home batters did the rest.

Ayush Badoni (38 off 47 balls) played a breezy innings that helped India A to bring the lead down the 100-run mark, before falling in his attempt to add some quick runs.