IND U-19 vs AUS U-19, Youth Test: Nikhil, Enaan heroics help India beat Australia by two wickets

Chasing a tricky 212 for victory on a turning surface, the India U-19 side survived a scare as Nikhil Kumar (55 n.o., 71b, 3×4, 4×6) and Nitya Pandya (51, 86b, 3×4) played composed knocks and guided the home side to a two-wicket victory against Australia U-19 on day three of the first Youth test series at the M.A.Chidambaram stadium here on Wednesday.

India suffered an early setback when off-spinner Thomas Brown dismissed Vaibhav Suryavanshi and pacer Addison Sheriff removed Vihaan Malhotra with India struggling at 25 for two.

Nitya and K.P. Karthikeya (35, 52b, 5×4) added 71 runs for the third wicket before Karthikeya was trapped in front to Australia’s leg-spinner Vishwa Ramkumar (24.1-3-75-3).

96 for three quickly became 113 for five as Vishwa dismissed the well-set Nitya and pacer Aidan O’ Connor (12-4-27-4) sent back skipper Soham Patwardhan caught behind.

Abhigyan Kundu and Nikhil fought back with a 49-run sixth-wicket stand with attacking shots around the ground.

Aidan then dismissed Abhigyan and Vishwa disturbed Enaan’s timber before Nikhil and N. Samarth’s 43-run eighth-wicket association helped India cross the line.

Earlier, Soham (12.4-1-27-3) took the first wicket of the morning by dismissing Christian Howe, who was caught at mid-off.

Leg-spinner Enaan dismissed Simon Budge, who was looking to play an aerial shot over mid-off but found Karthikeya.

Addison and Aidan added 33 runs for the seventh wicket before the former was caught at silly point off Enaan. Thomas Brown was Enaan’s fifth victim when his stumps were rattled.

With not much batting left, Aidan lost his wicket to Enaan, as Soham picked up Vishwa for his third wicket as the visitors were bowled out for 214.

The scores: Aus U-19 293 & 214 in 67.4 overs (Mohamed Enaan 6/79) lost to Ind U-19 296 & 214/8 in 61.1 overs (Nitya Pandya 51, Nikhil 55 n.o., Aidan O’Connor 4/27).